Certified Inpatient Coding (CIC) Practice Exam

What is a key requirement of HIPAA in terms of medical records management?

1. Records must be openly shared with neighboring facilities

2. Records must be secured and protected

3. Records can be destroyed after one year

4. Records can be shared without patient consent

The correct answer is: Records must be secured and protected

A key requirement of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regarding medical records management is that records must be secured and protected. HIPAA establishes national standards for the protection of health information, mandating that healthcare entities must implement safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI). This includes physical, administrative, and technical protections to prevent unauthorized access to patient data. Ensuring security is vital to maintaining patient trust and upholding legal obligations to safeguard sensitive health information. The other choices do not align with HIPAA’s requirements. Open sharing of records and the ability to destroy records after one year contradict the need for confidentiality and proper record retention guidelines. Additionally, sharing medical information without patient consent violates HIPAA's privacy rules, which prioritize patient rights over their own health information. These principles underscore the significance of securing and protecting patient records as a cornerstone of HIPAA compliance.