 Health insurance portability and accountability Act (HIPAA) laid down standards for protecting sensitive patient’s medical/medical insurance information. HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their employment. HIPAA also requires the establishment of national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers besides addressing the security and privacy of health data.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Pubic Law 104-191, was enacted on August 21, 1996. The privacy rule as well as administrative simplification rules apply to health plans, health care clearinghouses and to any health care provider that transmits health information in an electronic form in relation with transactions. Patient's demographic data like past, present, future physical/mental health, and provision of health care is needed to be kept private. The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information, called protected health information (PHI), as explained in the privacy rule. The security rule protects information covered by the privacy rule, which is all individually identifiable health information a covered entity creates, receives, maintains or transmits in electronic form. The security rule calls this information “electronic protected health information” (e-PHI). The security rule does not apply to PHI transmitted orally or in writing.
Security rule requires maintaining reasonable and appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for protecting e-PHI, meaning, to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of e-PHI; identify and protect against reasonably anticipated threats to the security or integrity of the information; protect against reasonably anticipated, impermissible uses or disclosures; and ensure compliance by their workforce.
Security rule defines “confidentiality” to mean that e-PHI is not available or disclosed to unauthorized persons. The Security Rule's confidentiality requirements support the Privacy Rule's prohibitions against improper uses and disclosures of PHI. The Security rule also promotes the two additional goals of maintaining the integrity and availability of e-PHI. Under the Security Rule, “integrity” means that e-PHI is not altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. “Availability” means that e-PHI is accessible and usable on demand by an authorized person.
We ensure security and confidentiality of patient’s health record by complying with the HIPAA requirements, thus your records stay private with us. Our organization uses secure FTP platform for exchange of data. Only our clients and valid users have access to our password-protected FTP. Transcripts can also be sent via secured and encrypted e‑mailing system. Every member of our organization signs a confidentiality agreement and is aware of the HIPAA regulations. Our principle is to make every possible effort to be well-informed and responsive towards HIPAA mandates, lessen paperwork, and streamline the inadequacies of the industry. |
