Which law addresses the issue of patient confidentiality in medical records?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the law that specifically addresses patient confidentiality in medical records. Established in 1996, HIPAA sets national standards for the protection of health information, ensuring that individuals' medical records and other personal health information are properly safeguarded.

HIPAA mandates that healthcare providers, insurance companies, and their business associates implement strict protocols for handling and sharing patient data. This includes obtaining patient consent before sharing their health information and providing patients with rights to access their records. The act introduced the Privacy Rule, which specifically outlines the permissible uses and disclosures of protected health information (PHI), thereby reinforcing the importance of confidentiality in healthcare.

In contrast, the Americans with Disabilities Act pertains to the rights of individuals with disabilities and does not focus on medical record confidentiality. The Social Security Act is primarily concerned with social security benefits, including health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid, rather than confidentiality issues. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act aims to improve patient safety and healthcare quality but does not directly address the confidentiality of medical records. Therefore, HIPAA is the key regulation to understand when discussing patient confidentiality.