First few Article Sentences
In January 2013 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) omnibus rule, a set of new regulations and changes to existing HIPAA rules designed to preserve patients’ privacy regardless of where protected health information (PHI) is being handled.
By holding health care facilities and health IT companies responsible for how they process, store, and disseminate patient data, the final HIPAA omnibus rule strengthens patient privacy protections and establishes new patient rights regarding their PHI. While the rule is an achievement for patient rights, it increases the level and scope of responsibility on providers that manage PHI.