Keeping all informed vital to medical privacy act's success

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which goes into full effect next April, ultimately will guarantee patient privacy. It strictly limits access to patient medical records and gives a patient full rights to decide who can and cannot know about injuries, treatments and medications. Most hospitals and medical care providers already are sticklers for privacy, so this looming deadline should not affect much of their day-to-day work.

But parts of HIPAA have doctors, hospitals and insurance providers in knots. And medical professionals are not the only ones tied up. The legislation, meant to protect patient privacy, is affecting people across the board.

In Athens, Ohio University and the city must rework certain departmental policies to ensure employee privacy. O'Bleness Memorial Hospital is modifying privacy paperwork and finding ways to get the necessary electronic equipment in order to guarantee patients' privacy in electronic billing. The OU Athletic Department must figure out how to deal with the new regulations, because injury reporting will be altered drastically under the law.

Ohio state officials also have had to decide how they will deal with enforcing the act. Guidelines can vary state-to-state, depending on each state's attorney general. Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services is leading the effort to implement regulations affecting programs such as Medicaid.

One of the law's shaky areas is the sports world. Like Title IX, HIPAA was not meant to directly affect sports, but undoubtedly will. OU's athletic department plans to look to other schools around the country for compliance guidelines, but ultimately, the plan has to be something that will fit this department. Athletic department officials do not have a definitive policy regarding HIPAA compliance, and will not meet with OU legal officials until the next few weeks. The athletic department needs to get informed, and quickly. This law's overreaching effects could affect every athlete OU has, and the penalties for non-compliance are stiff: up to $25,000 per year.

HIPAA is a necessary law. Patients and employees need to know their medical records will be kept private. Perhaps most importantly, this act safeguards electronic information - a growing concern in today's technological world.

But lawmakers need to make sure hospitals and all others affected are informed about the law's many restrictions. Hospitals and employers need to make sure patients are informed about their rights under this law.

OU must figure out how to protect patient information electronically so that it does not violate HIPAA standards. The law also mandates a privacy officer be appointed to ensure regulations are maintained. As the deadline approaches, the administration must appoint the officer to guarantee the university is in full compliance before the deadline.

OU's College of Osteopathic Medicine already does most of what the act requires for patient privacy, and should be applauded for their commitment to confidentiality. In order to reach full compliance, though OU-COM must devise a plan to keep patients updated and informed about their rights.

Athens schools are still researching how to be compliant with the law. The city has had more than five years to prepare for the deadline. By now they should have a definite plan for compliance, instead of just research in the works. City officials and school administrators should get on the ball and make sure student and employee records are safe.

O'Bleness is in good position to meet the April deadline. The hospital formed an oversight committee two years ago and made the committee responsible for executing HIPAA parameters. Hospital administrators are drafting new policies and working to inform patients. The hospital did well to understand the magnitude of this law.

With so many affected areas, lawmakers must work with city officials to distribute information about the law and it's possible ramifications. Guaranteeing medical privacy is important, and all parties must work together to make it happen.