HIPAA Overview
The HIPAA Privacy Rule
The Privacy Rule establishes national standards to protect certain health information and applies to all forms of individuals' protected health information (PHI), be it electronic, written, or oral.
HIPAA Summary Explains the Privacy Rule
The main aim of the Privacy Rule is to protect individuals' health information, while ensuring access to necessary data for quality healthcare and public well-being. The Rule balances the need for information access with safeguarding individuals' privacy.
The Privacy Rule applies to health care providers that either directly transmit electronic transactions or use third-party services, like billing, to do so.
For most health care providers or health plans, the Privacy Rule requires them to do the following:
- Notify patients about their rights to privacy and how their information will be used.
- Set up and follow privacy procedures tailored to their practice, hospital, or plan.
- Train staff to understand these privacy rules.
- Choose someone to make sure that privacy rules are followed.
- Keep patient records that include personal health information secure and only allow access to people who need it.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-1. The major goal of the Privacy Rule is to _____.
You forgot to answer the question!