HIPAA

HIPAA Privacy Standards

Table of Contents

Introduction1

HIPAA and patient's access of information1

Extraordinary circumstances2

Written privacy policy and employee training3

Conclusion4

References5

HIPAA Privacy Standards

Introduction

HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that was published in the year 1996. The act consists of HIPAA security rule and the HIPAA Privacy rule. The act covers entities such as health plans, doctors, hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes (Ross, 2002). The underlying purpose of the Act was to come up with national standards for health care transactions that take place electronically and protects employees and their families for health insurance when they leave their job.

HIPAA and patient's access of information

A patient has the right to have information on or gain access to his or her own health related record. Hence, HIPAA does not impede a person from this innate right to access his own record. Every patient is legitimate to ask for a copy of his record from his doctor. The person is also entitled to receive a copy of the record maintained by the insurance company. Any person who is above 18 years of age has the right to not only have access to his record but also prevent anyone from gaining access to his information. In this regard the regulation is so strict that even the parents or the spouse cannot have access to the information without written consent from the person in question (Ross, 2002).

A person can obtain his medical record upon making a request in writing or filling a form called authorization to release medical records available with many covered entities. This information will be available to the person within the deadline given under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA (NIH, 2011).

This rule of patient authorization is applicable by and large but it does not apply to situations ...