The UVa Healthcare System

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The UVa Healthcare System

• Medical Privacy

• "Whatsoever things I see or hear concerning the
  life of men, in my attentance on the sick or even
  apart therefrom, which ought not be noised
  abroad, I will keep silence thereon, counting
  such things to be as sacred secrets."
• - Oath of Hippocrates, 4th Century, B.C.E.

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Where has your record been?

• Medical Records Fall Out of Vehicle, Blown
  Through Street Associated Press, May 26, 2000
• Prozac Maker Reveals Patient E-Mail Addresses
  The Washington Post, July 4, 2001
• Patients Records Found in Unsecured Dumpsters
  The Daily Herald, June 18, 2000
• Settlement in Privacy Suit Against Drug Store
  Children Allegedly Learned of Dads AIDS from Son
  of a Pharmacy Clerk Chicago Tribune, January
  9, 1998
• Allen Makes Diagnosis of Depression Public
  Medical Records Mailed Anonymously The
  Washington Post, August 26, 2000
• Robert Downey Did Drugs in Rehab! The
  National Enquirer, June 19, 2001

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Your Medical Records Today

• Mostly paper
• Incorrect Information
• Many organizations have access

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Protecting the Record

• The Doctors Hippocratic Oath
• The State State Law
• The Hospital Lock Key
• Limited guidelines for digitization

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HIPAA

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
  Act of 1996
• Electronic Health Transactions Standards
• Unique Identifiers
• Privacy Confidentiality Standards
• Security Electronic Signature Standards

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Privacy

• Consents Authorization
• Internal Policies
• Minimum Necessary
• Training

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Rights of Individuals

• Notices
• Access
• Additions
• Accounting of Disclosures
• Right of Restriction

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Security

• Computer Network Security
• Employee Security
• Business Operation Security
• Contingency Plans

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Liability

• Who can sue?
• HHS
• You
• Criminal Penalties

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Implementing HIPAA is easy, right?

• HIPAA is complex
• Its about people
• 8,000 of Them
• Various Levels of Education
• Records Difficult to Track
• Doctors are Unsure

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How Will They Do It?

• New Administrative Functions
• Computer Systems to track and manage records
• Paperless Records
• Training

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Critiques

• HIPAA Initiatives and Risk Management
• Small practices do not have the resources
• Tight Schedule
• Transition Phase is the most risky
• But
• UVa Hospital cares about privacy

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Questions
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