Component 1: Introduction to Health Care and Public Health in the U.S. Unit 6: Regulating Health Care Lecture 4 This material was developed by Oregon Health & Science University, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC

Objectives of This Lecture Review the privacy and security requirements of HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Discuss the issue of patient safety in U.S. medicine –Explain patient safety initiatives of the Joint Commission –Describe the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Improves portability of health insurance –New employer plan may not limit coverage due to pre-existing condition –If health insurance is lost, improves access to group health plan –Protects from discrimination based on health status Combats fraud, abuse, and waste in health care Promotes use of health savings accounts Improves access to long-term care Simplifies the administration of medical insurance Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Privacy & Security Privacy requirements –What health information must be protected – tanding/summary/index.htmlhttp:// tanding/summary/index.html Security requirements –How to protect the information – tanding/srsummary.htmlhttp:// tanding/srsummary.html Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Covered Entities Adapted from Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Covered Entities (contd) Health plans –Insurance companies –Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) –Company insurance plans –Government agencies that pay for health care Health care clearinghouses –Billing services –Repricing companies –Community health management information systems –Value-added networks that perform clearinghouse functions Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Privacy Rule Applies to protected health information All individually identifiable health information is protected –Held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associates –In any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Individually Identifiable Information Physical or mental health condition Provision of health care Payment and Identifies the individual, or there is a reasonable basis to believe the information can be used to identify the individual Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Privacy Rule Requirements Notify patients of privacy rights Allow patients to see their medical records Implement privacy procedures Train employees Designate an individual to be responsible for seeing that privacy procedures are adopted and followed Keep patient records secure Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Security Rule Requires covered entities to use security measures to protect health information Does not require use of any specific technology Establishes minimum standards –If state laws require more rigorous safeguards, the state law must be followed Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Security Rule: General Guidelines Ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of health information Anticipate threats to the security and integrity of the information, and protect against them Protect against reasonably anticipated, impermissible uses or disclosures of health information Ensure compliance by the workforce Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

HIPAA Enforcement and Penalties Enforced by Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Violations can result in civil fines and criminal penalties $4.3 million civil penalty in 2010 –$1.3 million for failure to give patients access to medical records –$3 million for failure to cooperate with investigation Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Patient Safety To Err is Humanpublished in 1999 by the Institute of Medicine Reported that: –44,000 to 98,000 people die in hospitals each year as a result of preventable medical mistakes –Mistakes cost hospitals $17 billion to $29 billion yearly –Individual errors are not the main problem –Faulty systems, processes, and other conditions lead to preventable errors Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Medical Mistakes Today Affected 1 in 3 hospital patients in one study In 2008, harms to patients from medical errors cost $17.1 billion Errors can result in medical malpractice lawsuits –42% of doctors are sued at some point –Hospital malpractice suits alone could top $8.6 billion in 2011 Suffering from medical errors: not measurable Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

The Joint Commission Safety Initiatives Sentinel Event Policy –Unexpected death, unexpected serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk of such an event Patient Safety Advisory Group –Panel of experts who recommend National Patient Safety Goals –Also address newly developing safety issues Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

The Joint Commission Safety Initiatives (contd) Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure and Wrong Person Surgery –Pre-surgery verification –Site marking –Time out before an incision is made The Speak Up Initiative –Encourages patients to participate in their care –Free patient education materials Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

National Healthcare Quality Report Effectiveness Timeliness Efficiency Patient safety Access to care Patient centeredness Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

AHRQ: Health IT Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring

Summary Patient privacy and safety are high priorities for all people employed in the health care industry HIPAA has rules for the privacy and security of patient health information The Joint Commission supports initiatives for reducing medical errors The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is an important source of information about how to keep patients safe and maintain the privacy of their health information Component 1/Unit 6-4 Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring