Hipaa Privacy Of Individual s Private Health Information...

Abstract This paper is intended to summarize the objectives of HIPAA in safeguarding the privacy of individual’s private health information from unauthorized access in general and security requirements for HIPAA compliance in particular. The HIPAA privacy rule requires covered entities to protect patient’s health records and any other identifiable health information by using appropriate safeguard to protect privacy. The HIPAA security rule requires that covered entities implement a security technology to safeguard the integrity, confidentiality and availability of individual’s electronic private health information while exercising quality service for patients. Healthcare providers have shifted towards the use of electronic health records†¦show more content†¦According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.), the migration of healthcare providers to using electronic health records and the wide-spread use of computer and web based applications moti vated the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop regulations for protecting the privacy and security of Private health Information (PHI) of individuals. The advance in computing technology and easy storage options, led healthcare providers change their physician order entry, patient health records, pharmacy, laboratory systems, health insurance plans to fully computerized systems. While the change facilitates work efficiency and increased quality of service by ensuring greater mobility and easy access to information anywhere at any time, it adds potential security and privacy risks (Mercuri, 2004). HIPAA requires that every covered entity keep the privacy of individuals and implement acceptable form of security to protect the integrity, availability and confidentiality of private health information. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.), the goal of the Security Rule is to safeguard the security of electronic private health information (eP HI) while giving more flexibility to covered entities such as healthcare providers, healthcare clearing houses and insurance companies in using new security technologies to better the quality of service and healthcare. The HIPAA Security Rule is updated on a regular basis