Computer-Based Health Care Data and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: Implications for Informatics

Abstract

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act legislation, originally passed in 1996, has issued the first section of final regulations for standards addressing transactions and code sets. These regulations will affect the field of health care informatics, which has been developing the electronic patient record since the 1980s. With increased emphasis on the development of integrated care systems and telemedicine, the need to address secure transmission of electronic information has brought new developments to this field. Important to the process are the development of technology and policy that support and guide the management of encryption, data transmission and access, systems risk assessment and audit trails, and consumer rights consideration.