HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a U.S. law designed to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. It establishes national standards for the protection of health information and mandates secure handling of personal health data by healthcare providers and insurers. Key features include privacy rules that govern the use and disclosure of health information and security rules that set standards for safeguarding electronic health records. Common use cases include ensuring compliance in healthcare organizations, protecting patient data in electronic systems, and facilitating secure data sharing between providers.