Communication and records: Hippa issues when working in health care settings.

Abstract

To refocus awareness on the original mandate of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations, this article will review record keeping requirements and examine patient-doctor and interdisciplinary communication as a way to improve the health care consumer's trust in the privacy of their personal information while facilitating integrated and fluid health care delivery systems. The HIPPA rules especially important in medical settings are discussed with a special emphasis on issues confronting psychologists who practice outside of medical institutions and hospitals. The article also examines important implications for practice activities when psychologists attend patients who are hospitalized.

Substance use disorder patient privacy and comprehensive care in integrated health care settings.

“…Providers bear the responsibility of educating patients about privacy rights, what information will be shared with other providers in the treatment team, and why (Van Liew, 2012). In addition, providers should consider charting only information relevant to the patient's current care, rather than providing a full history, which may not be necessary to address patient's presenting concerns and is overburdening to other members of the treatment team (Benefield, Ashkanazi, & Rozensky, 2006). Finally, all providers must consider how they will use patient information obtained from other members of the treatment team; clinicians are independently responsible for observing patient behavior and avoiding bias in their assessments from other team members (Norris, 2003).…”

Guidelines for psychological practice in health care delivery systems.

“…Psychologists working in health care delivery systems where electronic health records are utilized strive to inform patients about efforts to protect confidential information (APA Ethics Code, Standards 3.10, 4.02; APA, 2007; Beneñeld, Ashkanazi, & Rozensky, 2006;Condie, Grossman, Robinson, & Condie, in press;Drogin et al, 2010;Richards, 2009). This discrepancy necessitates vigilance on the part of psychologists in their informal communication with multidisciplinary colleagues, their communication with patients via technology, and in formal documentation within patient records.…”

Extending Clinical Practice to Medicine

“…These functions are useful in a myriad of medical related settings. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPPA) [15] specify how Protected Health Information (PHI) is to be managed [8]. In order to practice, many Medical Psychologists have sought and have been granted allied medical staff membership and privileges.…”