Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge, 2nd Edition

182 | CHAPTER 10 Legislative Aspects of Nursing Informatics: HITECH and HIPAA

it behooves every nurse who works with such a system to obtain proper training

and to know the policies and procedures that pertain to its use.

SUMMARY

The HITECH Act and the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules are intended to en-

hance the rights of individuals. These laws provide patients with greater access

and control over their PHI. They can control its uses, dissemination, and disclo-

sures. Covered entities must not only establish a required level of security for PHI

but also sanctions for employees who violate the organization’s privacy policies

and administrative pr