Career Current Issue
Current Issue Background HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), was put in place in 1996. It’s main objective, stated by McGowan (2012), is to “...improve continuity of health insurance coverage, combat health care waste and fraud, and simplify the administration of health insurance” (p. 61). The Privacy Rule was added in 2003; it protects demographic information, including individuals past/present/future condition, care given, payment information, their address, date of birth, etc. Therefore, nurses, doctors, and other health care providers must pay special attention to what they are sharing. Guidelines addressed by HIPAA assure that the health information of patients is protected while still
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Health care providers must be cautious in balancing the information they share and the information they keep private. There have been myths about the guidelines, which have created lots of confusion for many.
McGowan (2012) gave some of these common myths about the accountability act: HIPAA prohibits providers from discussing a patient’s condition over the phone with a patient, provider, or a family member, HIPAA prevents providers from discussing
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61)...” HIPAA protects information that needs to be protected. It keeps other people from knowing information they do not need to be aware of. I believe healthcare workers should be formally introduced into the guidelines before entering the field so they know what can and cannot be shared. They should also be consulted if any changes are made to the guidelines.
Reflection
Throughout my research, I found many new ideas and information I hadn’t know about prior. The information about HIPAA educated me on what patient confidentiality really is. I found what information can be shared and what is prohibited from being shared. My research strengthened my belief in the need for HIPAA to be in place. My interview was very crucial. It opened up my eyes to what it is truly like to work in the healthcare field. The research I conducted will be used to guide me to the right choice for my future education. It will help me learn what areas of nursing will fit my needs. I can share my findings with friends and others who may be interested in the career. I am now more informed about what a nurse goes through during a typical day and am more familiar with what it takes to be a