Term Paper on "HIPAA Effects on Radiology Practice"

Term Paper 12 pages (5161 words) Sources: 12 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Health Insurance Portability and accountability Act (HIPPA) Effects on Radiology Practice

The paper provides an understanding of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its concerns/effects on Radiology practice. The paper starts with providing background information on the HIPAA. Next the paper moves on to discuss about the objectives and important elements of the Act. After discussing about the objectives and elements of the Act, the paper discusses about the issues associated with the application of HIPAA by the radiologists in their careers. The paper goes on to discuss about the radiologists efforts in their responsibility to safeguard patient privacy and the safety of patient information and make this information known to their patients. The paper then discusses about the ways in which conformity of the HIPAA security norms could be initiated and applied. The paper moves on to make a discussion regarding how accurate and present inventory of all systems that create, disseminate, store or processing of patient information is essential. The paper also discusses how HIPAA conformity officers or their delegates are required to acquaint themselves with all arenas of the medium applied for storing medical records. The paper also discusses as to the way in which devices having high value of data need to be properly protected with regard to confidentiality. The paper then moves over to discuss about the various radiology practice group and their conformity with HIPAA. The paper discusses about simple radiology practice group and complex radiology experience group and their conformity with HIPAA. The paper further discusses that in all of the practices of radiology, those having governance liabilities take multiple forms. The paper then moves over to provide some suggestions to facilitate HIPAA execution. Finally the paper ends with the understanding as to the importance of Radiology to address the issue of HIPAA compared to other professions relating to health care.

Health Insurance Portability and accountability Act (HIPPA) 1996 concerns/effects on Radiology practice

Congress urged upon the Health and Human Services -- HHS Department to provide patient privacy safeguards as being a portion of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. ("Protecting the Privacy of Patients' Health Information," n. d.) President Clinton gave his assent to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as HIPAA on August 21, 1996. ("HIPAA FAQ's," n. d.) the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was a reaction to a growing necessity to simplify the healthcare industry and react to technological progress. Passed in the year 1996, the Act brought out modification to the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986, bringing about sweeping variations to all arenas of the healthcare industry, from the level of patient care to that of the administrative information systems. (Feigenbaum, 2007)

The Act is framed to safeguard health insurance coverage for workers as well as their families when they make changes or tend to lose their employment. ("HIPAA FAQ's," n. d.) Also called as the Kennedy Kassebaum Act, the objective of the HIPAA is to avoid the costs and standardize health information in addition to the provision of health insurance portability among the healthcare providers. The explicit growth of healthcare technology, electronic forms of medical records, system automation and digitalization of medical forms are become more feasible and cost effective in the health care industry. The HIPAA targets to standardize and administer rules for promoting safe healthcare it practices, and best practices for employees. (Feigenbaum, 2007) the law thus incorporated provisions aimed at saving money for health care businesses by encouraging electronic methods. ("History: HIPAA General Information. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act," n.d.) Hence HIPAA relates to information particularly safeguarded health information - PHI, and the way it is generated, stored, shared, secured as well as destroyed. (Kroken, 2002)

With regard to the HIPAA Act, there are three elements that incorporate necessities unique to health care organizations such as "standards for the Privacy of Individually Identifiable Information, Standards for Electronic Signature and Code Sets and Standards for Security and Electronic Signature." ("Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Comprehensive self-study guide," n. d.) the Standards with regard to the 'Privacy of Individually Identifiable Information' are dependent upon the necessities to safeguard the privacy of the health information of every patient in oral, written, electronic and any other additional form. The standards for Security and Electronic Signature are dependent upon the necessities to insulate the integrity of and to regulate the reach to health information. They are chalked to safeguard information from change, destruction loss and accidental or deliberate revelation to unauthorized individuals. The Standards for Electronic Signature and Code Sets are dependent upon the necessities for health care parameters to transmit effectively with one another for such basic activities such as payment, claims processing, and establishing coverage with regard to a health plan and finding out a patient's standard of eligibility for services. The Medical Practices and Businesses with regard to HIPAA regulations are also known as 'covered entities'. They incorporate healthcare plans, healthcare providers, and the demands of clearinghouses. In accordance with HIPAA the County of Los Angeles is a Hybrid Covered Entity and it incorporates the Department of Mental Health, Kirby Center of the Probation Department and the Department of Health Services. ("Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Comprehensive self-study guide," n. d.)

HIPAA is aimed at ensuring patient confidentiality with regard to all health care associated information. ("HIPAA FAQ's," n. d.) the Privacy Rule in HIPAA's Administrative Simplifications, institutes suitable measures and regulations in application and exposure of safeguarded health information -- PHI. The Privacy Rule in general strives to promote the safeguard of health information by not only providing systems for the control of it, but privileges of both patients and entities in application of PHI. The Privacy Rule states for the appointment of a Chief Privacy Officer, whose primary responsibilities are to foster and carry out policies to help in the adherence with the regulations stated. The Chief Privacy Officer also addresses direct complains as well as concerns with privacy from the client to the employee. Covered entities are required to detect all PHI applied within the entity's operations, and those who have reach to it. Policy states that records need to have standard form, and should be exposed to patients on request. (Feigenbaum, 2007)

Particular control in the Privacy Rule administers suitable exposure of PHI. In the entire Rule, a general existent concept is minimum essential exposure, wherein the Rule indicates that providers are required only to reveal the absolute minimum level of patient information required for the service or care so as to minimize illegal disclosure of PHI. Unique issues also incorporate regulations administering the suitable disclosure of PHI to commercial associates, hybrid entities, and for application in marketing, research and philanthropy. At last the Privacy Rules indicate important controls with regard to staff training and response. Privacy Officers and administrators are necessary for generating, disseminating and monitoring a 'Notice of Privacy Practices'. Formulated in plain language and highlighting the privileges of both patients as well as entities, the Notice emphasizes the liability of the employee to maintain rights of the patients, indicates allowable paths wherein PHI might be applicable and revealed by employees, and mentions patient capabilities to forbid revealing of their information. (Feigenbaum, 2007)

HIPAA further emphasizes more than just the privacy of individually known health information. HIPAA also authorizes specific identifiers for health care providers, health plans, employers as well as individuals. A rule formulated in January 23, 2004 and which came into force from May 23, 2005 applies the National Provider Identifier as being the standard specific health identifier with regard to health care providers. While the National Provider Identifier is executed, entities incorporated in HIPAA will make usage of only the National Provider Identifier to detect health care providers in all transaction levels. (Schoppmann www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B7CWD-4DDNR0X-8&_user=5715998&_coverDate=10%2F01%2F2004&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000068197&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=5715998&md5=537f150d0b174e0e135401492463e356;Sanders, 2004)

As necessitated by HIPAA, the final propositions include health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers who perform some financial as well as administrative transactions digitally. HIPAA particularly deals with the Protected Health Information- PHI of the patients. Additionally, it entails patients having increased reach to and amendment of their medical records. Before offering services to the patient, the Covered Entity is required to first acquire the consent of the patient to share PHI with organizations such as the billing firm, insurance, and physicians as well as organizations wherein a patient might be referred. ("History: HIPAA General Information. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act," n.d.) the necessities of the HIPAA are applicable to any entity maintaining and/or disseminating patient identifiable information with regard to digital form. This influences practically all the health care organizations from the level of physicians and insurance companies to that of the health care support organizations. ("HIPAA FAQ's," n. d.)

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