Chapter 3 Case Study
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School
CUNY Queens College *
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Course
101
Subject
Information Systems
Date
Nov 24, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by KidHeron3168
Kevin Rosas
Chapter 3 Case Study
1.Yes, any patient who seeks care at City Clinic on a given day is in violation of HIPAA. Under
HIPAA standards, the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) is an essential requirement. It educates
patients on their privacy rights, the uses and disclosures that will be made of their protected
health information (PHI), and the duties of the covered entity. City Clinic is in breach of its duty
to inform patients about their privacy rights and how their PHI will be treated by ceasing the
practice of offering the NPP to patients. HIPAA has been broken by this refusal to submit the
NPP.
2.Yes, telemedicine still constitutes a HIPAA violation. The need to deliver the NPP applies
whether a patient is seen in-person or via a safe electronic video system. No matter how
healthcare is delivered, patients must be aware of the privacy policies and their rights in relation
to their PHI. In telemedicine consultations, failing to disclose the NPP would still be against
HIPAA regulations.
3.Although it's a step in the right direction, posting the NPP on the City Clinic's website and next
to the entrance may not be enough to keep HIPAA compliance on its own. The NPP should be
made available through these methods, but HIPAA also requires covered entities to give patients
a hard copy of the NPP upon request. It's possible that not all patients will obtain the relevant
information about their privacy rights if you only rely on online and posted copies. The City
Clinic should think about taking additional steps to actively provide patients with the NPP.
4.It is insufficient to preserve HIPAA compliance to keep copies of the NPP in Mary's drawer
and give them to patients who specifically ask for copies. The NPP must be made available to all
patients, not only those who specifically request it, in accordance with HIPAA standards. City
Clinic is in breach of HIPAA by limiting the dissemination of the NPP to only those who enquire
and failing to fulfill its duty to tell all patients about their privacy rights.
5.There could be a number of effects if City Clinic continues to refuse NPPs to its patients. These
may include:
Legal consequences: For breaking HIPAA rules, City Clinic may be subject to sanctions, fines, or
legal action from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human
Services.
Damage to reputation: HIPAA non-compliance could result in bad press and harm City Clinic's
reputation. Patients might stop trusting the clinic to preserve their privacy and go for healthcare
elsewhere if this happens.
Patient complaints: Patients who are aware of their HIPAA rights may register complaints with
the OCR, which could result in investigations and possible consequences against City Clinic.
Increased risk of data breaches: Patients might be less careful with their PHI, raising the risk of
data breaches and possible harm to people, if they are unclear about privacy procedures and
safeguards.
By offering the NPP to all patients as required by law, City Clinic can overcome these problems
and guarantee HIPAA compliance.
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