According to a recent American Medical Association survey, more than 92% of patients believe privacy is a right and their health data should not be available for purchase. Yet nearly 75% of patients also express concern about the privacy of their personal data.

In response to growing concerns about data privacy, governments around the world have passed legislation to address varied risks to the security and confidentiality of patient data.  

In 1996, the United States passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in part to establish a set of requirements for healthcare organizations to protect sensitive patient data. The purpose of this landmark legislation is to keep data safe while giving patients more power over who can access their personal data and for what purpose. 

In this overview for beginners, we’ve broken down HIPAA rules and regulations into clear-cut fundamentals so you can quickly and easily understand whether you need to be compliant. 

You’ll learn the essentials of HIPAA legislation, including the types of organizations affected by the law and how it applies to your business and patients.