CHI Ethics, Regulations, & Compliance in Health Informatics — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. regulation protects patient privacy and governs the security of health information?
- GDPR
- HIPAA (Correct answer)
- FERPA
- HITECH Act
Correct answer: HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) establishes rules for the protection of personal health information.
Question 2: What is the primary goal of the HITECH Act?
- Eliminate paper records entirely
- Encourage the adoption of electronic health records (Correct answer)
- Restrict patient access to health data
- Reduce cybersecurity regulations
Correct answer: Encourage the adoption of electronic health records
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act promotes the adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records.
Question 3: Which ethical principle ensures that patient data is not shared without proper authorization?
- Autonomy
- Confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
- Justice
Correct answer: Confidentiality
Confidentiality in health informatics protects patient information from unauthorized access and disclosure.
Question 4: Which compliance requirement ensures healthcare organizations conduct risk assessments to protect data?
- GDPR
- HIPAA Security Rule (Correct answer)
- Freedom of Information Act
- Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments
Correct answer: HIPAA Security Rule
The HIPAA Security Rule requires organizations to assess risks and implement safeguards to protect electronic health information.
Question 5: What is the primary function of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in healthcare?
- Facilitates unlimited data sharing
- Protects patient data privacy in the EU (Correct answer)
- Eliminates data encryption requirements
- Removes patient consent for data use
Correct answer: Protects patient data privacy in the EU
GDPR protects the privacy and security of personal data, including patient health information, particularly in the European Union.
Question 6: Which organization enforces HIPAA compliance in the United States?
- FDA
- OCR (Correct answer)
- CDC
- NIH
Correct answer: OCR
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces HIPAA regulations and investigates complaints regarding data breaches and violations.
CHI Ethics, Regulations, & Compliance in Health Informatics
Which U.S. regulation protects patient privacy and governs the security of health information?