A Brief Summary of HIPPA
(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

All patients are given a Notice of Privacy Practices. Ask for these in your clinicals so you become familiar with what the policy states.

Access to medical records: Patients may review their medical records. Most health care facilities want a health care provider (HCP) with a patient to explain the records and to assure records are not changed. Again check the facility’s policy.

Amendments to Medical Records: A patient may request a change in medical records. Again check the facility’s policy.

Restrictions on the use of protected health information: A patient has the right to restrict who has access to their health information as long as it doesn’t interfere with treatment, payment or operations. Again check the facility’s policy.

Access to accounting: Patients have the right to know who has been given access to their protected health information. As a student nurse, it is important you make a clear not when you share any protected health information be it by telephone, fax or e-mail. Again check the facility’s policy.

Confidential communication: A client may request that information be transmitted in a confidential manner (such as no return address). Again check the facility’s policy.

Complaints about violations of privacy: Patients can file complaints about possible violations of privacy. Again check the facility’s policy.

“Minimum necessary” rule: You should only share or discuss the minimum amount of protected health information to get the job done. For example, you can request a piece of equipment for patient without divulging the patient’s diagnosis. Again check the facility’s policy.

Telephone requests for personal health information: We can verify that a patient is in the hospital if the caller asks for the patient by name. We cannot provide additional information over the phone. A patient may request anonymity. Again check the facility’s policy.

E-mail and faxes: Since these can be inadvertently sent to the wrong location, most have a disclaimer at the bottom. Again check the facility’s policy.

Discarding personal health information: Paper with patient information needs to be properly destroyed. Do not take home any papers that contain patient information. Again check the facility’s policy.

Hallway conversation: Patients and their care should not be discussed in any public locations.

Accessibility of patient information: Think about: Charts should be stored so patient information isn’t visible. The patient’s name should not be visible in their rooms or displayed in the unit. Check the facility’s policy.

Taken from: www.nurseweek.com August 11, 2003