As an ethical health care provider, your client’s privacy should be among your primary concerns.
As such, you are compelled by law to follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy Rule.
This rule sets the baseline for health care providers in establishing security measures to heighten individuals’ privacy.
What Is Health Information Privacy?
Health information privacy is a protective measure required by law for health care providers tasked at acquiring sensitive information from individuals.
Activities such as health research need the necessary information to improve human health and healthcare.
Thus, in order for the process to become successful, health care providers are also required by law to limit the exposure of these sensitive information.
To better understand the level of security required, you first need to understand the concepts of privacy, confidentiality, and security.
These are the concepts that establish the purpose of health information privacy, what it protects, and to what extent.
Privacy, in general
Privacy generally involves the prevention of unwarranted exposure of personal information.
In healthcare, privacy functions as a right of an individual to bodily integrity and to be free from being compelled to share their conditions.
Privacy is also concerned with the collection, storage and the use of personal information and to what extent the health care providers can handle information.
The Privacy Rule provides that the health care providers must first be given consent by the individuals on how they can share the information.
They may use it for one purpose or be restricted from using the information for another purpose.
Thus, the determining factor of sharing information depends solely on the authorization given by the individual when it concerns the use of his or her personal information.
Confidentiality in a Nutshell
Confidentiality is the level of authority given by individuals to healthcare in safeguarding the information entrusted to them.
It also concerns the intimate relationship that an individual has with the health care provider.
Confidentiality also sets the limitation as to whether the health care provider is allowed to share the individuals’ privacy to third persons.
One example is when a patient prevents physicians from disclosing their information to other experts. This is by virtue of the principle of physician-patient relationship.
Unauthorized disclosure of data gathered from individuals result in a breach of confidentiality.
The Privacy Rule prohibits this act and is one of the limitations set in health information privacy.
The Basics of Security
Security, on the other hand, is the procedural and technical measures that restricts the access of personal information.
This also functions as a preventive measure on how to modify, disseminate, store, or process health information in a computer system.
Health information security, in particular, prevents any deliberate denial of service and protects the system that stores the information from breaches.
Health information security prevents health records from being exposed to unauthorized access by third persons.
This includes hackers who leak or acquire health information with the intent to cause harm or gain from the acquired data.
When hackers infiltrate the system, they commit a breach of security. This is what you should prevent.
Importance of Health Information Privacy
Establishing security systems is how you uphold health information privacy.
You must place a high value on protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of individuals’ health information.
This is a form of recognition that you function as an ethical health care provider and is compliant with the Privacy Rule.
The Privacy Rule compels health care providers to observe these concepts in dealing with treatment, payment, and operations of patients.
The Electronic Health Information Exchange (eHIE) is one of the measures that upholds health information privacy.
This program offers patients the choice to share their health information through different measures.
They may agree to disclose their health records electronically or through the Health Information Exchange Organization (HIIE).
It is important for you to acquire the consent of patients to prevent getting penalized for breach of confidentiality.
It also minimizes the risk of not complying with the level of security required and expected out of a health service provider.
How to Uphold Health Information Privacy?
One way to prevent breaches of health information privacy is by outsourcing the services of an outbound call center.
Call center agents confirm the consent given by customers to prevent you from accidentally sharing their personal information to third parties.
Thus, they safeguard your interests by preventing you from sharing unauthorized health information by first confirming that the same is allowed.
You may also uphold health information privacy by establishing antivirus or cybersecurity programs that prevent hackers from infiltrating health information.
The Verdict
Protecting health information privacy should be your top priority. This allows you to retain your customers and draw potential ones to ensure profitability.
This is why protecting personal information privacy is extremely important. It manifests your ability to grow as an ethical business with a steady flow of customers and increased profitability.
You can maximize the effectiveness of your security systems and sustain personal information privacy measures by outsourcing outbound call center services.
Call center agents engage customers to confirm that they consented the use of their personal information for specific purposes.
Your business can also emphasize your adherence to the Privacy Act by installing security systems. You can count on us to offer you these services without a glitch!