Full Answer Section
hanges in HIPAA and PHI since 2012
Since 2012, there have been a number of changes to HIPAA and PHI regulations. These changes include:
- The implementation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which expanded the scope of HIPAA regulations and increased the penalties for non-compliance.
- The development of new standards for electronic health records (EHRs), which require healthcare organizations to implement more secure systems for storing and transmitting PHI.
- The rise of mobile health (mHealth) technologies, which create new challenges for protecting PHI.
Updates to the Hahnemann Falls Policy
The Hahnemann Falls Policy needs to be updated to reflect these changes in HIPAA and PHI regulations. The following are some of the updates that need to be made:
- The policy should be updated to include the new standards for EHRs.
- The policy should be updated to address the specific challenges of protecting PHI in mHealth applications.
- The policy should be updated to include the new penalties for non-compliance with HIPAA regulations.
Significance of the Selected Policy Updates
The selected policy updates are significant because they help to protect the privacy and security of PHI. By updating the policy to reflect the latest changes in HIPAA and PHI regulations, the Hahnemann Falls Health Care Center can help to ensure that it is in compliance with the law and that it is protecting the privacy of its patients.
Potential Litigation
The selected policy updates can help to avoid potential litigation. By updating the policy to reflect the latest changes in HIPAA and PHI regulations, the Hahnemann Falls Health Care Center can help to demonstrate that it is taking reasonable steps to protect the privacy of its patients. This can help to reduce the risk of the organization being sued for a HIPAA violation.
Conclusion
The Hahnemann Falls Policy needs to be updated to reflect the changes in HIPAA and PHI regulations since 2012. The updates that need to be made include the inclusion of the new standards for EHRs, the addressing of the specific challenges of protecting PHI in mHealth applications, and the inclusion of the new penalties for non-compliance with HIPAA regulations. These updates are significant because they help to protect the privacy and security of PHI. They can also help to avoid potential litigation.