Vancouver Home Health Care Agency

HIPAA

Corporate Responsibility Regarding HIPAA

Corporate Responsibility Regarding HIPAA HIPAA, or the Health Information Accountability and Portability Act, is an act created to cover the electronic transmission of personal information. As more medical professionals and facilities moved files to an electronic version, an act was necessary to protect the information. HIPAA not only gives individuals protection, it sets standards for healthcare entities in the transmission of information. Duty of Care The duty of care refers to the specific responsibility of any entity gathering personal information. That entity acts in good faith that the information will not be shared outside the entity unless the patient grants specific permission. Additionally, HIPAA will implement penalties against any entity that breaks the rules of the act, including fines and closure of the facility if the act is violated multiple times. Corporate Responsibilities An entity operating under the HIPAA rules is required to: Ensure all electronic systems are secure against outside intruders Ensure all employees are trained and bound by the HIPAA rules Check all employees and their knowledge of HIPAA on a consistent basis Protect all private information electronically with safeguards, including health care proxies Maintain or meet with a HIPAA Safety Officer on a regular basis to ensure all electronic records are properly guarded Know who is accessing personal information, why, and when Assign logins and other safety guards to all employees Review all systems for accuracy and safety on a regular basis Keep patients informed on any changes Corporate Rights It is the right of the health care facility or business to: Obtain patient information to keep files up to date Ask for a health care proxy to discuss a patient’s care with a designated family member or friend Contact a patient or proxy using a predetermined method (phone, email, etc.) Share information with other healthcare professionals, with the patient’s permission Share information with other healthcare professionals for the purpose of referrals What Does this Mean for Vancouver Home Health Care Agency? The HIPAA rules apply to the Vancouver Home Healthcare Agency because the Agency gathers personal information for electronic files. The nurses and other medical professionals who enter the home are bound by HIPAA laws to keep all personal information private. The Vancouver Home Healthcare Agency will gather specific information, which is protected under the HIPAA policies, along with future information regarding healthcare progression or treatment. Any information gathered by Vancouver will be confidential and protected not only under the laws of HIPAA but the policies of Vancouver Home Healthcare. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

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What is HIPAA

What is HIPAA HIPAA stands for the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, and was introduced in 1996 in response to many healthcare facilities switching to computerized record keeping. It is regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS. The main goal of HIPAA is to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system in relation to electronic healthcare transactions. This means that any information recorded or submitted electronically is protected by HIPAA. The HIPAA mandate led the HHS to publish a regulation referred to as the Privacy Rule in 2000, which set national standards for health information protection. Three main types of entities were covered: health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and health care providers who conduct transactions electronically. All healthcare covered entities had to implement standards to protect against the misuse of electronically submitted information. Any entity which failed to do so was fined. The reason behind HIPAA is the fast paced direction health care took toward electronic record keeping, and the result of HIPAA was a more protected level of care. Any information transmitted from electronic record keeping is confidential; as more professional health care workers have more access to more patients, it was important to tighten electronic security levels. A patient’s record can be viewed electronically by a growing number of professionals; even hospitals or doctors who do not see the patient might have access to the records. HIPAA ensures that the patient records remains confidential. In the past, a patient or a doctor had to physically hold a file to get information. Now, electronic record keeping allows a growing number of people to have more convenient access to a patient’s chart. The type of protection provided by HIPAA is necessary in this faster paced environment. The Vancouver Home Health Care Agency is happy to help you and your family understand HIPAA Laws and Regulations. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

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Patient Rights and Responsibilities under HIPAA

Patient Rights and Responsibilities under HIPAA HIPAA, or the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, protects every person’s individually identifiable health information, or protected health information (PHI). Covered information includes information, including demographic information, relating to: The method or path of health care The individual past, present or future conditions The past, present, or future payment of health care Any type of information which can identify the patient. Patient Rights It is the right of the patient to have personal information protected The patient has the right to state who can and cannot view the medical records The patient has the right to determine a health care proxy, who can openly discuss patient care with professionals. The patient has the right to release medical records to any individual or health care entity. The patient has the right to make informed choices regarding health information. The patient has the right to find out how personal information is being used among the medical community. The patient has the right to review medical information at any time; this includes the health care proxy. Patient Responsibilities Patients are responsible for the individual medical record by making sure all identifiable information is updated. Patients must make sure all information is updated as it changes to ensure medical personnel are able to reach the patient when necessary. The patient is also responsible to determine a health care proxy as well as an emergency contact, which is retained in the medical record. The patient is responsible to understand how the records are used, who can use the records and if the records must be moved if the patient changes doctors. HIPAA does not cover de-identified health information, which is any information that does not identify the patient. Professionals can de-identify information by obtaining a formal determination from a qualified statistician, or by removing all specific identifiers of the individual. If the covered entity (i.e. doctor’s office) cannot identify the individual from the remaining information, it has been de-identified. For example, a broken arm can be stated as a compound fracture on a youth, which is de-identified information. The Vancouver Home Health Care Agency is happy to help individuals understand HIPAA rights and responsibilities further. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

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