Human Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) on Electronic Records

The section of HIPAA relating to electronic healthcare transaction can be found in Title II, Subtitle F - The administrative simplification provisions of HIPPA. The HIPAA rules issued under the administrative simplification provisions are those pertaining to standards for electronic transmission of healthcare data.

The entities covered by administrative simplification provisions are public or private agencies namely healthcare clearinghouse and health care providers. HIPPA did not define records but define health information instead. Health information is a very broad term that covers any information oral or recorded in any form or medium created by health care agencies and providers. Health information also encompasses the past, present and future physical and mental information about the patient.
Section 1173 under Title II, Subtitle F enables the standard of electronic exchange for financial and administrative transactions. Financial and administrative transactions includes health claims, health claims attachments, enrollment and disenrollment in health plan, eligibility for a health plan, health care payment and remittance advice, health plan premium payments, first report of injury, health claim status, and referral certification and authorization.

HIPAA also calls for a standard in the way health information is transferred and the use of standard codes to identify each disease, illness and other health problems. The purpose of the standard formats and codes is to make communications easier and more cost-effective.

Section 1173 mandated further that clearinghouses and healthcare providers must maintain an appropriate administrative, technical, physical safeguard of health information. HIPAA also directed the above-mentioned entities to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the health information.

In my personal view, no specific technology is mandated by HIPAA, and it appears to be technology neutral without losing its purpose of protecting health information generated from the patients.


References:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/pl104191.htm#261
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
http://www.hipaa.org/
https://www.highmark.com/hmk2/about/hipaa/hipaa-detail.shtml
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs8a-hipaa.htm