A project of the George Washington University's Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Privacy and Confidentiality
Privacy and confidentiality of health information pertains to patient’s right to the confidentiality of his or her medical information as well as rules governing when and how a provider may disclose information and to whom.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a new education initiative, called: "Mobile Devices: Know the Risks. Take the Steps. Protect and Secure Health Information."
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has just issued new guidance on how covered entities might meet the patient information de-identification standard under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). De-identification is...
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) released a new report detailing recommendations for the transition to electronic health records. Health information technology (IT) and electronic health information sharing will play important roles in addressing the trifecta of cost, quality, and access U.S. health care reform.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder announced a new initiative to prevent health care fraud. This new arrangement allows state officials to partner with private insurance organizations and other health care anti-fraud groups.
This news release describes a pilot program to take place in Indiana and Ohio, that aims to measure the effects of expanding and improving access to prescription drug monitoring programs (PMDPs)in order to reduce prescription drug abuse.
Author: Leon Rodriguez, Director, Office of Civil Rights
Publication: Office of Civil Rights
This memo released by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Civil Rights was put out to educate consumers of health care of their legal right to access their own medical records.
This is a notice for request for comments by the Veterans Affairs Department for the proposed Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record (VLER) system. The VLER system would allow the sharing of data between the VA, the Department of Defense and the Nationwide Health Information Network. The notice proposes the types of disclosures the information would be subject to as well as the privacy requirements the VLER system is subject to.
This report examines the effect of our current system of centralized claims data collection and retention that is used by many government agencies to analyze health information. The report recommends the use of decentralized models in order to better safeguard the privacy and security of patient information.
Author: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's Chief Privacy Officer recently released this instructional guide on the importance of privacy and security of health information for health care providers. A key component of the electronic health record incentive program, an effective privacy and security program must be integrated into participating medical practices. The guide can be used as a resource by health care providers to make privacy and security of health information a priority in their medical practices.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided billions of dollars in new health and health care spending and made comprehensive reforms in health law and policy. This brief summarizes key elements in the Act, including comparative effectiveness research coordination, modifications to the health care tax credit and investments in community health centers and the primary health care workforce. The associated chart provides a side-by-side comparison of the major HIT, public health, Medicaid, and COBRA provisions in the House legislation, Senate legislation, and final conference agreement.
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