Healthcare Privacy Part 6: Protecting Sensitive Patient Information

The protection of sensitive patient information is a critical aspect of healthcare privacy. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996 to establish national standards for the protection of sensitive patient health information. In this article, we will discuss the importance of protecting sensitive patient information and the measures that healthcare organizations can take to ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations.

Understanding HIPAA and Its Requirements

HIPAA applies to covered entities, including healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. These entities are required to implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI). PHI includes any individually identifiable health information that is created, received, maintained, or transmitted by a covered entity.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule, which took effect in 2003, establishes national standards for the protection of PHI. The rule requires covered entities to implement policies and procedures to ensure that PHI is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals. The HIPAA Security Rule, which also took effect in 2003, establishes standards for the security of electronic PHI (ePHI).

Administrative Safeguards

Administrative safeguards are policies and procedures that are implemented to manage the selection, development, implementation, and maintenance of security measures to protect ePHI. These safeguards include:

• Conducting a risk analysis to identify potential security vulnerabilities
• Implementing a security management process to manage security measures
• Ensuring that employees have the necessary training and awareness to handle ePHI securely
• Implementing incident response and disaster recovery plans

Physical Safeguards

Physical safeguards are measures that are implemented to control physical access to ePHI. These safeguards include:

• Implementing facility access controls to restrict access to areas where ePHI is stored or processed
• Implementing workstation security measures to prevent unauthorized access to ePHI
• Implementing device and media controls to ensure that ePHI is not stored on unauthorized devices or media

Technical Safeguards

Technical safeguards are measures that are implemented to protect ePHI through technology. These safeguards include:

• Implementing access controls to restrict access to ePHI
• Implementing audit controls to monitor access to ePHI
• Implementing integrity controls to ensure that ePHI is not altered or destroyed
• Implementing encryption to protect ePHI in transit and at rest

In conclusion, protecting sensitive patient information is a critical aspect of healthcare privacy. Healthcare organizations must implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. By understanding the requirements of HIPAA and implementing the necessary safeguards, healthcare organizations can protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI.