Question

Identify at least 2 important pieces of information nurses need to in order to maintain privacy and confidentiality of PHI in health records.

150 words

Answer 1

Ans) With respect to health information,

Privacy is defined as the right of an individual to keep his/her individual health information from being disclosed.

- The HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to all protected health information.

- Security is defined as the mechanism in place to protect the privacy of health information.

- The HIPAA Privacy Rule for the first time creates national standards to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information. It gives patients more control over their health information. It sets boundaries on the use and release of health records.

- The Security Rule protects a subset of 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).

- Health information of patients.

- Diagnostic test results.

- Protected Health Information. The Privacy Rule protects all "individually identifiable health information" held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral. The Privacy Rule calls this information "protected health information (PHI)."

“Individually identifiable health information” is information, including demographic data, that relates to:

• the individual’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition,
• the provision of health care to the individual, or

• the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual.