HIPAA and the Security Rules
If we review the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, the Privacy…
If we review the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, the Privacy and Security Rules contained four standards which included: Transactions and Code Sets, Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and National Identifier Standards. This is a brief overview of the Security Rule.
The people wanted to know that their healthcare information was private and safe. This is what the HIPAA was enacted for and they wanted to understand how it was going to happen and who was going to monitor the process. There were several things that took place in the healthcare industry that was the same throughout. Employees would attend HIPAA training, if they used a computer then emails with personal health information would be sent by digital signature or be password protected.
By having the same processes throughout the medical industry, the hospitals and doctors’ offices made it easier to monitor and report their compliance to their HIPAA Program Mangers. The next phase was to lock up private health care information on patients whether Healthcare Management Facts it was written, spoken, or electronically transferred would be handled the same way. Doors and drawers would be locked. Electronic files would be digitally signed or password protected. If employees left the department their access would be turned off.
All medical services had to show that they could provide privacy and availability of the private health information; they have to protect against security threats, protect against potential security threats Lifestyle Change Plan to the private health information, and guarantee compliance by the employees. On-going updates to security rules and measures must be maintained. This can easily be handled by the annual HIPAA training.
HIPAA training now includes computer safety too. It discusses the physical constraints of information like logging off your computer and locking up your CDs. There are also reasonable safeguards that you can take towards protecting information. If a person wants to use your computer and you have never seen them before then ask them for identification and then ask them why they need your computer. It takes everyone to maintain privacy and security of patient’s information and that includes you too.