Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Which federal mandate increased transparency and empowered patients to view their medical records?

1. Affordable Care Act

2. Meaningful Use

3. HIPAA Privacy Rule

4. HITECH Act

The correct answer is: Meaningful Use

The Meaningful Use program is integral to the efforts aimed at increasing transparency and encouraging patient engagement in their healthcare. This federal mandate was introduced as part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which aimed to promote the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and improve the quality of care delivered to patients. One of the key objectives of Meaningful Use is to ensure that patients can access their health information in a timely manner. By emphasizing the use of certified EHR technology, healthcare providers are incentivized to make patients’ medical records available electronically, thus empowering them to view their own health information. This initiative not only enhances patient engagement but also promotes shared decision-making between patients and providers, which is crucial for improving health outcomes. The Affordable Care Act primarily focuses on health insurance reform rather than directly addressing patient access to medical records. While the HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes standards for protecting patient information, it does not explicitly mandate transparency in the same way that Meaningful Use does. The HITECH Act supports the Meaningful Use program but is broader in scope, encompassing various aspects of health information technology rather than focusing solely on patient access to records. Therefore, Meaningful Use stands out as the specific mandate designed