Heath care in the United States has always been complex sector. There have been numerous debates on how it should be administered (in terms of privatized or government funded), how to make it affordable and be of good quality, as well as how to make it accessible to everyone. Another important aspect of this industry lies within its security. Discretion has always been a necessity since there is private information such as social security numbers, names and addresses to protect as well as person health conditions that require a strict confidentiality. Though laws have always been put in place to protect patient security, new issues continue to emerge. These problems stem from technology advancements in this sector, and enhance the issue
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This reflects in the health care system in that many medical facilities now use online databases to store patient information as well as provide sites sometimes referred to as “patient portals” to their patients, so that they can access anything from test results to visit records online. From 2000 and even earlier years there has been a substantial growth in the use of electronic health information technology systems. It has even been said that Federal government funded programs used to encourage providers to purchase, adopt, implement, and demonstrate meaningful use of electronic health record (EHR) systems as well as even penalize Medicare providers that not meaningfully use EHR technologies (HRSA.gov, n.d.) The new technologies do provide benefits such as better quality and more efficient care however, they are still subject to the same shortfalls of the internet of things, which are being vulnerable to mass hackings and breaches of private health …show more content…
The first one is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This federal legislation defines what health information must be protected and stipulates what must be done to protect patients’ privacy and security. It is applied to all apply to all healthcare providers, health plans and healthcare clearinghouses. (HRSA.gov, n.d.)Protected health information includes the following anything from names, social security numbers to medical record numbers. Some of the key patient rights provided are: the right to receive notice of privacy practices of any healthcare provider, plan or clearing house, the right to see their protected health information and receive a copy, and the right to have a list of those their protected healthcare information has been disclosed to. There are severe penalties for HIPAA violators of any kind, with the highest possible fine being $1.5 million. (HRSA.gov, n.d.) In more recent years, the Federal Government’s Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) came into effect. It sets limitations on the use and disclosure of protected health information for marketing and fundraising, then prohibits the sale of protected health information without patient authorization. (HRSA.gov, n.d.) This act attempts to
This reflects in the health care system in that many medical facilities now use online databases to store patient information as well as provide sites sometimes referred to as “patient portals” to their patients, so that they can access anything from test results to visit records online. From 2000 and even earlier years there has been a substantial growth in the use of electronic health information technology systems. It has even been said that Federal government funded programs used to encourage providers to purchase, adopt, implement, and demonstrate meaningful use of electronic health record (EHR) systems as well as even penalize Medicare providers that not meaningfully use EHR technologies (HRSA.gov, n.d.) The new technologies do provide benefits such as better quality and more efficient care however, they are still subject to the same shortfalls of the internet of things, which are being vulnerable to mass hackings and breaches of private health …show more content…
The first one is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This federal legislation defines what health information must be protected and stipulates what must be done to protect patients’ privacy and security. It is applied to all apply to all healthcare providers, health plans and healthcare clearinghouses. (HRSA.gov, n.d.)Protected health information includes the following anything from names, social security numbers to medical record numbers. Some of the key patient rights provided are: the right to receive notice of privacy practices of any healthcare provider, plan or clearing house, the right to see their protected health information and receive a copy, and the right to have a list of those their protected healthcare information has been disclosed to. There are severe penalties for HIPAA violators of any kind, with the highest possible fine being $1.5 million. (HRSA.gov, n.d.) In more recent years, the Federal Government’s Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) came into effect. It sets limitations on the use and disclosure of protected health information for marketing and fundraising, then prohibits the sale of protected health information without patient authorization. (HRSA.gov, n.d.) This act attempts to