This document discusses patient confidentiality policies and procedures. It outlines federal regulations like HIPAA and HITECH that require intense ethics training for healthcare workers to protect patients' health information. Special precautions are taken for high-profile individuals, including using fake names, unique logins that change regularly, and restricting access to only necessary staff. Electronic health records systems are also configured with encryption, activity logs, access restrictions and aliases to safeguard confidential patient data. Employees face stiff penalties like fines and imprisonment if confidentiality policies are violated.

2. Patient Confidentiality
MHA690 Health Care Capstone
Cynthia Armstrong
Dr. Rock
Oct 1, 2015

3. – Training consists of Federal regulations:
– Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act of 1996 (HIPPA)
– The Health Information Technology for Economic
and Clinical Health Act (The HITECH Act)
– Several state laws

4. – Legal and ethical responsibilities
– Intense ethics training
– Protect patients’ health information
– Information used/disclosed for treatment,
payment or healthcare
– Employees must sign compliance statement

5. – Special Circumstances
– High-profile individuals
– Anonymity
– Special precautions

6. – Special Circumstances
– Celebrities
– Fake names
– Unique log-in for staff
– Change log-in formation regularly
– Code words to access medical files
– Restricted to “Need to know” staff only
– Password protected

7. – Electronic Health Records Software System(EHR)
– Encrypt files
– Provide protected backups
– Activity logs
– Track in-coming and out-going medical information
– Record hold
– De-identification mechanism
– Access restriction
– Provide alias

8. – Disciplinary actions
– Stiff penalties
– Fines
– Possible imprisonment

9. REFERENCES
• https://www.ache.org/policy/hiconf.cfm
(American College of Healthcare Executives)
• http://blog.capterra.com/physicians-guide-
protecting-patient-information/
• http://www.managedcaremag.com/archives/06
11/0611.datasecurity.html
• Article Citation: AHIMA e-HIM Work Group on
Security of Personal Health Information.
"Ensuring Security of High-Risk Information in
EHRs" Journal of AHIMA 79, no.9 (September
2008): 67-71