The new HIPAA law on privacy and confidentiality

Abstract

This article details what nurse administrators must know about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that rewrites the rules on privacy, medical record confidentiality, and protected health information (PHI). Nurse administrators are responsible for knowing what information can be given to patients, families, the coroner, the media, courts, police, clergy, and attorneys. Implementation will require education to understand the intricacies of the law. The law carries substantial penalties for failure to comply.