HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a U.S. law enacted in 1996 designed to protect the privacy and security of individuals' health information.
Key Objectives of HIPAA:
- Confidentiality: Ensures that personal health information (PHI) is protected from unauthorized access and disclosure.
- Integrity: Maintains the accuracy and reliability of health information, preventing unauthorized alteration or destruction.
- Availability: Guarantees that health information is accessible to authorized individuals when needed.
- Security: Establishes technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect electronic health information (ePHI) from breaches and threats.
Core Components:
- Privacy Rule: Regulates the use and disclosure of PHI.
- Security Rule: Sets standards for safeguarding ePHI.
- Transaction Rule: Standardizes the exchange of health information between entities.
- Enforcement Rule: Details compliance measures and penalties for violations.
For those looking to secure their health data, consider exploring HIPAA compliant backup software to protect sensitive information.