Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP) Practice Exam

What is HIPAA designed to protect?

1. Healthcare facilities' billing

2. Patients' health information

3. Medical records management

4. Insurance claims processing

The correct answer is: Patients' health information

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is primarily designed to protect patients' health information. The act establishes national standards for the protection of health information to ensure that individuals' medical records and personal health information are properly safeguarded against unauthorized access and breaches. The intent of HIPAA is to provide patients with rights over their health information, including the ability to access their records, request corrections, and receive notifications regarding any breaches of their information. The law applies to entities that handle health information, including healthcare providers, health plans, and other organizations. While other choices focus on various aspects of healthcare operations, such as billing, medical records management, or insurance claims processing, these do not encompass the central focus of HIPAA, which is the privacy and security of personal health information. This focus ensures that patient confidentiality is upheld, which is a critical component of the healthcare system's ethical standards.