Everyone is going electronic! And that includes the healthcare industry worldwide, and with the advent of healthcare providers turning to more convenient and cost-effective ways of storing and accessing patient medical information, it makes sense that agencies seek to ensure this is done safely. . HIPAA is an acronym that stands for “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” is a privacy law implemented in the United States of America, designed to provide standards for protecting patient medical information. HIPAA was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, whose primary role is to be the agency that protects the health of all Americans, regardless of economic or racial class. The rules established by HIPAA not only provide patients with access to their medical records, but also give them a say in how they are used. HIPAA was officially introduced on April 14, 2003. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayAccording to HHS. Gov, the HIPAA Privacy Rule sets limits around the use and disclosure of patient medical records and applies civil and even criminal penalties to individuals who violate those limits. HIPAA gives patients the autonomy to obtain health care and, if their health information is misused, they have the appropriate guidelines to seek reimbursement. Another strength of HIPAA is providing patients with the right to view, hold a copy of, and even require adjustments to be made to their health records. Looking back, this privacy policy puts the power in the hands of patients and takes autonomy to a whole new level. HIPAA hosts its "Security Standards" that govern the security of access control to patient information, monitors and can map document actions, and also provides regulations to ensure that staff who manage patient records are properly trained. Implementing HIPAA has changed the way healthcare workers view patient information and not only holds them accountable for unfair practices, but also ensures that every team member understands the importance of protecting medical records patients and informs staff on exactly how to do this. achieve it. HIPAA training in the United States is required by law, which reduces the risk of legal action against the company. It can therefore be said that HIPAA is beneficial for all stakeholders in the healthcare sector. In Jamaica, no laws such as HIPAA have been implemented to protect data collected from patients. However, the good news is that in October 2017, a privacy and data protection bill was introduced, the “Act to Protect the Privacy of Certain Data and Related Matters”. However, for this bill to become law in Jamaica, it must be successfully passed by the Senate and the Jamaica House. If passed, this law will govern, like HIPAA in the United States, personal data, such as medical information. The bill contains requirements or standards for the processing of personal data, such as not collecting more information than necessary, the time frame in which the collected data must be kept and accurate and updated. The bill covers many important points regarding the protection of.