Challenges associated with privacy in health care industry: implementation of HIPAA and the security rules

The use of computers to electronically store and transmit patient data has revolutionized the modern health care system. While the benefits gained by the health care industry through the use of electronic information storage and transmission are innumerable, these gains must not be accepted at the cost of individual privacy. This paper discusses the challenges associated with privacy in health care in the electronic information age based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Security Rules. We examine the storing and transmission of sensitive patient data in the modern health care system and discuss current security practices that health care providers institute to comply with HIPAA Security Rule regulations. Based on our research results, we address current outstanding issues that act as impediments to the successful implementation of security measures and conclude the discussion and offer possible avenues of future research.