The ability to send electronic medical records to a third party, such as a new doctor.The right to make a notation about a perceived error in medical records even if the doctor disagrees that it is a mistake.The right to check and request changes to electronic medical records to correct errors.Access to and copies of personal electronic medical records.When they are violated it may be a case of medical negligence and malpractice. Patients have certain rights under HIPAA, and it is important that they understand these rights. Patient Rights and Breaches of ConfidentialityĪccording to HIPAA, medical professionals and other workers in healthcare and medical records are responsible for protecting and maintaining patient information, both to ensure that patients get continuity in coverage and care and also to protect patient privacy. HIPAA helped to set the standard for how to use an manage electronic medical records, to protect patient privacy, and to minimize fraud while also making medical administration smoother and more streamlined.

This left a lot of holes in different parts of the country where a doctor or other caregiver could get away with breaches in confidentiality. Medical professionals were already held to ethical standards that forbid them from sharing information about patients, but there had been no federal law to enforce it. The law also addressed the ability of patients to transfer healthcare when moving between jobs. It was written at a time when many medical offices were beginning to make patient records electronic, which raised a lot of concerns for security. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, is a law that was passed under President Clinton that is designed to protect patient confidentiality. A lawyer that specializes in malpractice cases can help you file a lawsuit and prove that you were a victim of medical negligence and the harm it caused. If you suffered because someone, a doctor, a tech, a nurse, or even a medical office administrator, shared your information or made it vulnerable through a mistake, you may have a case for medical malpractice. Patients need to be able to trust their doctors and other medical professionals in order to get the best care and breaches in confidentiality erode that trust and also cause emotional harm.

When that privacy is denied, it can have serious repercussions. There is an understanding between patients and their doctors that privacy will be maintained, that a patient’s personal information will not be shared without permission.