Important aspects of HIPPA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Important aspects of HIPPA - Essay Example HIPAA is one of the complex federal laws that focus on healthcare sector, the act was one of the responses of the Congress to the healthcare reforms and it affects the whole of healthcare industry. The act outlines criminal and civil penalties that arise from failure of compliance by any party in the industry. HIPAA is one of the civil rights laws that give patients the right to control use of their information on health; the other important aspect of HIPAA is that it is mandatory. HIPAA has greatly impacted on the privacy of patient’s health information; the act protects the protected health information of patients whether oral, written or electronic, and defines how patient’s health information can be used defining where and which information can be used and the relevant requirements for such use (Herdman & Moses, 2006, p. 13). Protected Health Information or the PHI refers to any information that is identifying the individual person is considered confidential; such information includes billing information, physician and nursing notes, as well as other treatment records that are about the individual or his present, past or future mental or physical condition. HIPAA acts as a privacy rule, its privacy regulation scope limits disclosure and use of PHI, it limits who can use or request for a patient’s PHI and provides a criteria that can be used to de-identify information. HIPAA provides administrative requirements and establishes mechanisms like external complaint processes and whistleblower provisions that can be used by patients to report violations. The act has established individual rights over his/her health information as contained by providers, employers or health insurance plans. These rights include individual rights to access, notice, amend, and file complaint as well as right to have confidential communication. From the individual patient’s view,