Privacy and Confidentiality in Healthcare

Maintaining Standards for Privacy and Confidentiality in Healthcare

Since antiquity, every facet of healthcare, from patient-doctor relationships, to maintenance of medical records, to insurance provider obligations, has held the issue of privacy and confidentiality in healthcare at its core of policy and process design. Indeed, more than the obvious legal ramification associated with privacy and confidentiality in healthcare, this critical item stands alone at the forefront of building the trust necessary for patients to receive the most accurate medical care.

For health information management (HIM) professionals who deal with medical records on a daily basis, the way those medical records are managed to maintain the highest degree of privacy and confidentiality in healthcare is up against some dynamic changes in policy and technology. With special focus on privacy and security, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) created a universal standard set of HIPAA guidelines governing the way medical records are handled.

On a technology front, continued Electronic Health Records (EHR) implementation and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems integration provide greater access to medical records for all parties, including patients. With the benefit of greater access in the health information exchange process, privacy and confidentiality in healthcare take on a new dimension with regard to creating security measures to protect sensitive data. The recent issue of identity theft is a reminder of the damage possible when proper security measures are not adequately addressed.

Education on Privacy and Confidentiality in Healthcare

AHIMA represents more than 50,000 HIM professionals across the nation. Since its beginning in 1928, AHIMA's sole focus has been on improving the quality of medical records. The issue of privacy and confidentiality in healthcare, as such, is a fundamental part of every improvement step. With the above-mentioned issues carrying their own unique implications, AHIMA is dedicated to providing educational resources to AHIMA members and non-members alike in order to keep them abreast of the latest developments regarding privacy and confidentiality in healthcare.

In addition to accredited programs at colleges and universities across the nation, AHIMA also offers AHIMA Continuing Education opportunities online. Through a comprehensive curriculum of web-based courses, HIM professionals can continue to acquire the professional knowledge they need in a way that accommodates other responsibilities in their personal lives.

For other easy-to-access audio seminars, journal articles, books, and more relating to privacy and confidentiality in healthcare, please visit the AHIMA online bookstore.