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…and
full compliance is less than two years
away. HIPAA
was enacted to ensure that private
health information stays just that
- private - no matter the method of
communication. Patient data is readily
available in computer systems, via
faxes, wireless communication and
the old standby - paper. Even a causal
passerby can often see confidential
patient information when visiting
someone in the hospital. A click of
the "send button" and information
can be flowing, maybe to the wrong
party.
HIPAA
regulates insurance companies- ability to decline
people who move from one job to another based
on pre-existing health conditions. In addition,
standards for privacy protection, security of
data, and protection of theft and misuse were
included in the Act, for both electronic data
and printed documents.
President
George W. Bush has directed the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) to begin implementing
the patient privacy rule, giving patients greater
access to their own medical records and more control
over how their personal information is used.
"We
are giving patients peace of mind in knowing that
their medical records are indeed confidential
and their privacy is not vulnerable to intrusion."
Tommy Thompson, Secretary HHS stated in his press
release dated April 12, 2001.
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While
it is possible to keep the central patient files
under lock and key and use security software,
the information displayed on computers throughout
a health care facility is often in plain sight.
3M offers a solution to help prevent inadvertent
disclosure of patient information, including information
displayed on computer monitors in areas where
almost anyone could see the data - nursing stations,
patient rooms, check-in desks to name just a few.
Whom
does it affect-
Covered
Entities: those that transmit any health information
in connection with a standardized transaction.
(e.g. Health Plans, Clearinghouses and Providers)
Business
Associates: organizations who conduct business
with covered entities. (e.g. employers or unions)
3M
Privacy Computer Filters work like tiny vertical
blinds to block information, unlike other privacy
filters that just blur information.
3M
:
Working to help keep patients- health information
private and secure. Working to help health care
providers comply with the new HIPAA standards.
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