Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was endorsed by the U.S. Congress as a result of the American public’s concern about how patient health information was stored, accessed, disclosed and shared. The HIPAA Privacy Rule provided the first nationally-recognized and enforced set of regulations concerning the use and disclosure of what is commonly called “protected health information.”
HIPAA requires all health care professionals and those with access to patient data to operate within strict standards to safeguard protected health information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services enforces HIPAA law and imposes penalties on institutions that do not make good-faith efforts to ensure the privacy and security of protected health information.
Health Services operates in strict adherence to HIPAA laws and regulations. HIPAA requirements are incorporated into policies and procedures department-wide, and are a vital, required component of new employee and annual staff refresher training.
Health Services’ Notice of Privacy Practices form details the organization’s maintenance of medical information as required by law, and use and disclosure of that information to the extent necessary to provide high quality health care.
Included in the Notice of Privacy Practices is detailed information about how patients can:
- Obtain a copy of their health information.
- Request that Health Services amend health information in their patient records.
- Receive an accounting of certain disclosures made of their health information.
- Request that Health Services restrict the use and disclosure of their health information.
- Request information regarding how Health Services may contact them about medical matters.
- Receive notification of how Health Services may use protected health information.
Release of information to Heath Services form
Confidentiality
The Notice of Privacy Practices is available. In addition to the above electronic version, the notice is available upon request to students at the Health Services check-in desk. It is posted in a common area of the Health Services lobby.
If you wish to report a privacy concern, please email the Privacy Officer.
Notice of Privacy Practices (HHS.gov)