Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Which of the following is a fundamental principle of HIPAA?

1. Transparency of all medical records

2. Patient control over their health information

3. Open access to all patient details

4. Employers having access to all employee health records

The correct answer is: Patient control over their health information

The principle of patient control over their health information is fundamental to HIPAA because it empowers individuals to make decisions regarding their personal health data. HIPAA was established to ensure that patients have the right to access their health information, make choices about how it is used, and understand the circumstances under which it can be shared. This aligns with the overall goal of protecting patient privacy and ensuring that individuals have authority over who sees and uses their sensitive medical information. In contrast, options involving transparency of all medical records, open access to all patient details, and unrestricted employer access to employee health records do not align with HIPAA’s core intent. Transparency in a general sense is not the same as patient control, as it could imply sharing information without consent. Open access could compromise privacy, and allowing employers unrestricted access to employee health records would violate the principles of confidentiality that HIPAA upholds. Thus, the answer that centers on patient control reflects the necessary balance between privacy and the sharing of health information in accordance with patient consent.