The document provides an overview of HIPAA regulations regarding the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI) and electronic protected health information (e-PHI), emphasizing that healthcare workers should only access the patient information necessary to provide care, maintain privacy and security of accessed information, and report any potential privacy violations. It also discusses the ethical responsibility of healthcare workers to properly manage and protect sensitive patient data.

1. Confidentiality Training
Module

2. HIPAA – Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996 (Federal)
– HIPAA Privacy Regulations
• Requires the healthcare industry to
protect the privacy and confidentiality of
Protected Health Information (PHI)
– HIPAA Security Standards
• Requires the healthcare industry to
protect the confidentiality, integrity and
availability of electronic protected
health information (e-PHI

3. What Can I Access?
Only the information I need to know to
care for the patient I am assigned.

4. If you have computer access :
•Screen should not face the public when
accessing a chart
•Always log off when leaving the
computer station
•Changed password as often as facility
requires
•Do not share log on information. What
is viewed and documented under your
name is your responsibility.

5. What should you do?
A fellow nurse is viewing a patient
information from another floor. She is
not caring for this patient nor consulting
for care of this patient.

6. Answer:
Inform your immediate Supervising
Nurse or Manager.
Contact the Hospital Privacy Officer

7. “Health employees, especially those
who are asked to manage such
sensitive data as patient
records, must have the ethical
responsibility and wisdom to uphold
the laws that protect the
appropriate and authorized
usage, access, and exchange of
patient information within our
dynamic, innovative technological
environment” (Wolper, 2011, p. 389).

8. Summary
•Assess only the confidential
information you need to care for your
patient
• Protect your passwords
•Know and understand your facility
privacy policy
•Report any privacy violation

9. References
Over 120 UCLA Hospital Staff Saw
Celebrity Health Records. Retrieved
January 19, 2012 from
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,3
98784,00.html.
Wolper, L.F. (2011). Health care
administration: Managing organized
delivery systems (5th ed.). Boston:
Jones and Bartlett.