Patient privacy refers to the rights of patients to determine when, how, and to what extent their health information is shared with others. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) are the main federal laws that protect your health information. It involves maintaining confidentiality and sharing identifying data, known as protected health information (PHI), only with healthcare providers and related professionals who need it in order to care for the patient. All healthcare providers have a responsibility to keep their staff trained and informed regarding HIPAA compliance. HIPAA guidelines apply to the gathering, cataloging, and transferring of any and all patient information. HIPAA guidelines also cover electronic
