Author: Tang, Paul C.

Source: HIPAA Conference 2000

Publication Date: March 14, 2000

2000 HIPAA Conference Presentation
National Outlook on Prviacy—Confidentiality Panel
The HIPAAcratic Oath: Do No Harm to Patient Data
Presented by Paul C. Tang, MD, Palo Alto Medical Clinic and Epic Research Institute Outline
Confidentiality Principles Highlights of HIPAA P....

Author: Tang, Paul C.

Source: HIPAA Conference 2000

Publication Date: March 14, 2000

2000 HIPAA Conference Presentation
National Outlook on Prviacy—Confidentiality Panel
The HIPAAcratic Oath: Do No Harm to Patient Data
Presented by Paul C. Tang, MD, Palo Alto Medical Clinic and Epic Research Institute Outline
Confidentiality Principles Highlights of HIPAA P....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA presentation | AHIMA recognition week resources

Publication Date: April 12, 2004

Author: U.S. Office for Civil Rights

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | U.S. Office for Civil Rights

Publication Date: January 2013

Rule modifies HIPAA by implementing statutory amendments under HITECH to strengthen the privacy and security protection for individuals’ health information; modifies the Breach Notification Rule under the HITECH Act, modifes the HIPAA Privacy Rule to strengthen the privacy protections for genetic information and makes certain other modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification, and Enforcement Rules (the HIPAA Rules) to improve their workability and effectiveness and to increase flexibility for and decrease burden on regulated entities.

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: January 25, 2013

Author: Sullivan, Tori E.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2002

It's April 10, 2003, and a privacy officer is reviewing her policies for the imminent privacy regulations, title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. The compliance deadline is April 13, 2003, and she is already feeling stressed about meeting the date.....

Author: U.S. General Accounting Office

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: April 06, 2001

Author: Rhodes, Harry B.

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 10, 2001

Background

Direct marketing is the direct contact between a seller and a consumer. This type of targeted marketing has gained wide popularity as a marketing strategy in the late 20th century because it can be addressed directly. With increasing amounts of specific information avai....

Author: Ballam, Holly

Source: In Confidence (newsletter)

Publication Date: September 02, 2001

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is changing the face of patient access to their health information as we know it. Although each state has enacted various laws protecting the rights of patients to access, amend, or request his or her information, these l....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2001

If your physicians’ attitude toward patients requesting to amend their medical record is "I’d tell them to take a hike and then call my attorney," your environment is not unique. These words, in fact, are the verbatim response of a physician upon hearing the HIPAA privacy r....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2004

An unfortunate result of the HIPAA privacy rule is the emerging use of HIPAA as a gatekeeper, restricting the appropriate fl ow of protected health information (PHI). HIPAA is being cited as a reason not to disclose information without patient permission when needed for treatment, payment, or....

Author: Wiedemann, Lou Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2011

Managing third-party requests for health information is a routine function for every HIM department. HIM professionals regularly receive record requests from third parties for a variety of reasons, such as revenue integrity audits or admission validation reviews.

Historically, fulfi....

Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2001

The HIPAA final privacy rule requires that covered entities allow individuals to access the medical and billing records maintained about them. However, the rule describes 10 exceptions. Accordingly, healthcare providers must establish a way to identify the medical and billing records....

Author: AHIMA Work Group

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2014

Covered entities should already have in place the mechanisms for limiting PHI under minimum necessary policies and procedures. This Practice Brief provides guidance to assist organizations in complying with the 2013 HITECH-HIPAA Omnibus Rule’s new disclosure restriction requirements.

Author: Butler, Mary

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: August 01, 2016

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken many steps to try and clear up consumer confusion regarding the more consumer-centric aspects of HIPAA’s Privacy Rule and Security Rule. The most recent efforts include the Office of the National Coordinator’s Patien....

Author: Burton, Ben; Downing, Katherine

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2017

Editor’s Note: This Practice Brief update supplants part of the 2013 Practice Brief “Patient Access and Amendment to Health Records.”


Before April 2003, a patient’s legal right to amend his or her health records was limited to those patients treated at hea....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2005

Now that we’re well entrenched in compliance with the privacy rule and headed toward the electronic health record (EHR), the personal health record (PHR), and regional health information organizations (RHIOs), amendments may seem like a mundane topic. But, as this article explains, it is....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2002

An increasing number of healthcare workforce members are telecommuting. As transcriptionists, coders, customer service representatives, and others are working from home, many providers are weighing the benefits against potential privacy and security risks.

Who Is Working from Home....

Author: Rollins, Genna

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: April 2011

Despite the rise of health IT, healthcare providers still face daily privacy and security risks of the mundane variety—paper records are misplaced, improperly disclosed, or released without confidential information redacted. No matter the opportunities and risks that technology bring....

Author: Lieteau, Triste

Source: In Confidence (newsletter)

Publication Date: September 02, 2002

Since the publication of the final modifications to the HIPAA privacy rule in the Federal Register on August 14, 2002, many healthcare providers have been working diligently to understand the proposed revisions and their impact on HIPAA compliance efforts already underway.While some of the mo....

Author: Callahan-Dennis, Jill

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 10, 2001

Introduction and Background

As part of their preparations for compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), healthcare organizations need to compare their current information-handling and information-disclosure practices to the requirement....

Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2001

This practice brief has been updated. See the latest version here. This version is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Brandt, Mary D.

Source: AHIMA sample form

Publication Date: June 14, 2005

Author: McLendon, Kelly

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2014

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continues to look for avenues to allow greater patient access to their own health information so that they may be more active in their healthcare management. HHS recently created final rules that remove the Clinical Laboratory Improveme....

Author: Tomes, Jonathan P.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2012

HHS's renewed interest in auditing for compliance is a good reminder to covered entities to ensure their privacy and security programs are up to date.

The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) announcement of a new program to audit compliance with the HIPAA priva....

Author: Hagland, Mark

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2001

Healthcare leaders say there’s no time to waste on serious compliance work, and HIM professionals will be at the heart of the action in this area.
Eunice Little isn’t nervous about HIPAA. After all, she and her colleagues at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles are in the small m....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: September 02, 2003

Q: Under HIPAA, how should covered entities respond to requests from public health officials who state that they need protected health information (PHI) to carry out their duties?

A: The privacy rule recognizes that PHI may be needed to respond to threats to public health, including the....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: September 02, 2001

Q: My facility's records contain a variety of psychiatric documentation including therapists' notes from their treatment sessions with patients. How can I determine what requires special protection under HIPAA? Do I need to separate some of the documentation from the medical record? Currently all p....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: September 02, 2001

Q: Because HIPAA gives patients the right to copy their medical records, does my facility have to supply a copy machine for this purpose or allow patients to take their records to a copy center?

A: According to section 164.520 of the HIPAA final privacy rule, an individual has "the ri....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: July 02, 2002

Q: I have requested the immunization records from a patient’s former healthcare provider with the patient’s written permission. The former healthcare provider refuses to send the immunization records because the patient has a balance on the account. Is this legal?


A:....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: July 02, 2002

Q: I work in a clinic setting. An attorney has requested copies of a patient’s entire record. The record includes reports dictated by one of the clinic physicians at a local hospital during the patient’s hospitalization. The attorney has the patient’s permission. Are we allowed....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: June 02, 2003

Q: What are a covered entity’s legal responsibilities when a former employee breaches confidentiality of information gained during his or her employment period?

A: Individual state laws would affect the outcome of litigation if charges were pressed through civil action. If the organ....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: June 02, 2003

Q: Under the privacy rule, how should a physician’s office handle a request from parents for a written statement recommending limitation of their child’s activities at school?

A: Most covered entities have policies requiring written requests or authorizations for disclosure of....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: June 02, 2002

Q: Our facility is developing our notice of privacy practices under HIPAA. We need to decide how we will communicate with individuals when we make changes to our notice. What are the acceptable methods for communicating with our patient population? Do we have to send a paper copy to everyone whose....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: May 02, 2003

Q: What is an organized health care arrangement (OHCA) and what are its advantages?


A: The privacy rule defines an OHCA as:

a clinically integrated care setting in which individuals typically receive healthcare from more than one healthcare provider

an org....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: May 02, 2002

Q: In light of HIPAA restrictions on protected health information, I’m concerned about our HIM department’s practice of accepting HIM students for professional practice experience. What should be considered in deciding whether to continue this practice?


A: HIPAA’s pr....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: May 02, 2001

Q: Does the new HIPAA privacy rule require hospitals to obtain patient consent prior to sending copies of dictated reports and test results to the patient's physician?

A: Unless the HIPAA privacy rule published on December 28, 2000 (45 CFR Parts 160 through 164) is modified by the Bush ad....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: April 02, 2003

Q: Is it legal for our facility to provide an individual with an abbreviated version of the notice of privacy practices with the full version available only upon request?

A: If an abbreviated version of the notice is given to an individual, it must contain all the required elements from....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: April 02, 2003

Q: Does reporting cancer surveillance to the state have to be tracked under the accounting of disclosure requirement in the HIPAA privacy rule?

A: Reporting cancer surveillance to a state agency does require tracking under HIPAA. State laws should be checked to determine if the other typ....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: April 02, 2002

Q: I have been asked to identify all of my organization’s business associates so we can update their contracts prior to the April 2003 HIPAA privacy rule compliance date. Unfortunately, existing contracts are not maintained in one place. How should I tackle this project?


A: At....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: March 02, 2002

Q: We have a transcriptionist who picks up tapes, transcribes them off-site, and returns them each day. Is this practice legal under HIPAA?


A: The HIPAA privacy rule does not prohibit the use of tapes for dictation, nor the use of an outside transcription vendor. The privacy rule do....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: March 02, 2002

Q: Does the individual to whom a patient has granted durable power of attorney for financial matters have the right to access and authorize use or disclosure of the patient’s protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA?


A: An individual granted durable power of attorney for....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: November 02, 2004

Q: As a covered entity, do I need to have satisfactory assurance (as required by HIPAA) that an individual has been notified when I am served with a search warrant for a patient's protected health information (PHI)?
A: No. A search warrant is issued by a judge and is considered the same a....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: January 02, 2003

Q: Is faxing patient information legal under HIPAA?
A: If the covered entity is permitted to release the information (for treatment purposes or by authorization, for example), then using a fax machine is allowed. The privacy rule requires the entity to provide appropriate administrative, techn....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: January 02, 2003

Q: Does HIPAA allow clinicians in our home health facility to pull their own records?
A: Your facility must make a reasonable effort to limit the access of your clinicians to the PHI they need to perform their duties. You will have to determine what policies are reasonable. As employees, the c....

Author: AHIMA Professional Practice Team

Source: AHIMA Q and A

Publication Date: January 02, 2003

Q: When is it legal to disclose protected health information (PHI) to clergy?


A: If the individual is informed in advance of the possible disclosure and has the opportunity to object, the HIPAA privacy rule allows a covered entity to disclose directory information to clergy. Directo....

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Education

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: November 27, 2008

Author: AHIMA Privacy and Security Practice Council

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2006

Job shadowing is a popular method of providing a work-based learning experience. It allows an individual to follow or “shadow” a healthcare professional during a typical workday. The participant can observe the healthcare professional’s job duties, ask questions, and eval....

Author: Dougherty, Michelle

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2002

You've attended seminars, read articles, outlined systems, and developed forms for implementing the privacy rule, but there is still one step left--actually writing the policies and procedures. For many practitioners, policies and procedures are important but are often put off, then forgotten.....

Author: Lee, Michael R.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

In the event of a privacy-related legal challenge, the content of your organization’s notice of privacy practices (NPP) will be a focal point for both plaintiff and defense arguments with respect to the protected health information (PHI) disclosure activities of your organization. Is your....