1. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA)
Principles of Biomedical Science
© 2013 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

2. Law adopted in 1996 to provide standards for health care related data
What Is HIPAA?
Law adopted in 1996 to provide standards for health care related data
Mandates federal privacy protections for certain individually identifiable health information

3. Called protected health information (PHI)
HIPAA Privacy Rule
Regulates how medical professionals and other people use and disclose certain individually identifiable health information
Called protected health information (PHI)

4. What is the purpose of the HIPAA law?
Check-in
What is the purpose of the HIPAA law?

5. What Information Is Protected?
Health information must be kept confidential, including demographic data that relates to:
The individual’s name, address, birth date, social security number, etc.
The individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition
The health care services provided to the individual
The past, present, or future payment for health care services provided to the individual

6. Maintaining Confidentiality
Professionals are:
To take all precautions necessary to keep all individually identifiable health information confidential.
Not to speak about patients with anyone other than other professionals working with the patient.
Patient records should not be left in public space unattended.

7. Maintaining Confidentiality
Professionals
Must make reasonable efforts to avoid being overheard and reasonably limit shared information.
May disclose protected health information to a family member or other person involved when the individual is present during the disclosure.

8. Maintaining Confidentiality
Professionals
Are permitted to communicate with patients regarding their health care, including through the mail or by the phone.
Messages may leave messages with family members, on voice mail, etc. with patient consent.

9. True or false?
Professionals are not permitted to contact patients on the phone or by mail.
FALSE

10. True or false?
Professionals are allowed to discuss a patient with other professionals even if they are not working with the patient.
FALSE

11. Professionals should not leave patient records in a public space. TRUE
True or false?
Professionals should not leave patient records in a public space.
TRUE

12. When Health Information Can Be Shared
Providing information needed for payment of benefits or health coverage
Disclosing information to specific agencies as required by public health laws for the purpose of:
Controlling infectious disease
Preventing injury
Preventing child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
Preventing any serious threat to public health or safety

13. When Health Information Can Be Shared
Complying with workmen’s compensation laws
Providing information for legal proceedings
Providing law enforcement agencies with information to locate or apprehend fugitives and to identify victims or missing persons

14. When Health Information Can Be Shared
Assisting a person who has been designated as your legal representative if you are unable to make medical decisions on your own (such as if you are under the age of 18)
Assisting an official agency in the event of a disaster relief effort to notify family members of your condition, status, and location
Assisting coroners or medical examiners to identify a deceased person, determine the cause of death, and perform other functions authorized by law

15. True or false?
Patient information can be disclosed to certain public agencies for the purpose of controlling infectious disease.
TRUE

16. True or false?
Patient information can be disclosed to assist medical examiners identify a diseased person.
TRUE

17. True or false?
Patient information cannot be disclosed to assist in legal proceedings.
FALSE