Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Violations

Read pages 90-94 of your course text, including the Release of Information section, the Perspective: Examples of Recently Published HIPAA Privacy Violations section, and Exhibits 3.3 and 3.4.  Next, select one of the cases from the list below :

• Civil
• Doctor and Two Former Hospital Employees Plead Guilty to HIPAA Violation
• Mass General Hospital Settles Potential HIPAA Violations
• Rite Aid Agrees to Pay $1 Million to Settle HIPAA Privacy Case
• UCLA Health System Settles Potential HIPAA Privacy and Security Violations

Then, provide a case analysis on the HIPAA violation of patient health information (PHI) that was present in the case you selected.   Include the following points in your case analysis:

• Summarize the case.
• Identify the specific HIPAA privacy and security rules that were broken.
• Identify the penalties (if any) that were imposed as a result of the ruling on the case. Do you believe the penalties imposed were sufficient for the type and scope of the infraction? Explain your answer.   
• Explain your understanding of the HIPAA privacy and security rules.
• Explain the significance of this case with regards to health care information systems, either in general or to the organizations that work in this field.
• Explain whether or not any other laws besides the HIPAA laws were broken, and if so, which laws.
• Include a paragraph about how this particular case could apply to your Final Proposal/Project.  What impact might lessons learned from this particular case have on your Final Proposal/Project case study?

The HIPAA Case Analysis: 

1. Must be three to four pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), double-spaced, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:
   • Title of paper
   • Student's name
   • Course name and number
   • Instructor's name
   • Date submitted
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6. Must use at least three scholarly sources, including a minimum of one from the Ashford University Library.
7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.