Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Patient privacy
The IHS Telehealth System Was Deployed Without Some Required Cybersecurity Controls
Presents findings of an audit to determine whether the Indian Health Service (IHS) implemented select cybersecurity system controls prior to deploying its telehealth system nationally. Offers policy recommendations to the IHS for improving the implementation of cybersecurity controls for new information systems and remediating known vulnerabilities that may impact telehealth technologies.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Presents findings of an audit to determine whether the Indian Health Service (IHS) implemented select cybersecurity system controls prior to deploying its telehealth system nationally. Offers policy recommendations to the IHS for improving the implementation of cybersecurity controls for new information systems and remediating known vulnerabilities that may impact telehealth technologies.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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The Use of Telehealth for Disability Evaluation in Medicine and Allied Health: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summarizes presentations and discussions held during a March 2022 workshop regarding the use of telehealth for patient evaluation. Provides an overview of telehealth policy broadly and within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the use of telehealth in a range of clinical specialties; telehealth access and digital inclusion and equity; the experiences of U.S. healthcare systems in deploying telehealth; and licensure, privacy, and security issues.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes presentations and discussions held during a March 2022 workshop regarding the use of telehealth for patient evaluation. Provides an overview of telehealth policy broadly and within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the use of telehealth in a range of clinical specialties; telehealth access and digital inclusion and equity; the experiences of U.S. healthcare systems in deploying telehealth; and licensure, privacy, and security issues.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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New HIPAA Privacy Rule: What RHCs Need To Know
Recording of a January 27, 2021, webinar providing information about proposed and existing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance rules affecting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers individual right of access to protected health information (PHI), fees for health records, patient identification verification, third party disclosures, and clarification of healthcare operations including care coordination and case management. Discusses proposed PHI changes regarding substance use disorders and serious mental illness, and changes in notice of privacy practices (NPP) requirements. Includes a fee calculator for medical record requests. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: HIPAA Record Fee Calculator, Presentation Slides, Q&A, Transcript
Date: 01/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a January 27, 2021, webinar providing information about proposed and existing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance rules affecting Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Covers individual right of access to protected health information (PHI), fees for health records, patient identification verification, third party disclosures, and clarification of healthcare operations including care coordination and case management. Discusses proposed PHI changes regarding substance use disorders and serious mental illness, and changes in notice of privacy practices (NPP) requirements. Includes a fee calculator for medical record requests. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: HIPAA Record Fee Calculator, Presentation Slides, Q&A, Transcript
Date: 01/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, 2020-2025
Outlines federal goals, plans, and priorities as they relate to health information technology (HIT) and its application across the U.S. Discusses federal efforts to improve broadband access and HIT infrastructure in all areas, including rural and tribal areas.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Outlines federal goals, plans, and priorities as they relate to health information technology (HIT) and its application across the U.S. Discusses federal efforts to improve broadband access and HIT infrastructure in all areas, including rural and tribal areas.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Intergovernmental Advisory Committee to the Federal Communications Commission Advisory Recommendation No: 2019-2 in the Matter of State, Local Tribal, and Territorial Regulatory and Other Barriers and Incentives to Telemedicine
Examines the technical infrastructure necessary for effective telemedicine delivery in state, territorial, tribal, and local (rural and urban) areas. Discusses the regulatory barriers including legislation, licensing, reimbursement, malpractice insurance, and privacy that obstruct its development and utilization, and offers recommendations addressing these barriers. Appendix A presents case studies of broadband and telehealth development in several states and territories.
Date: 11/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Communications Commission, Intergovernmental Advisory Committee to the Federal Communications Commission
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Examines the technical infrastructure necessary for effective telemedicine delivery in state, territorial, tribal, and local (rural and urban) areas. Discusses the regulatory barriers including legislation, licensing, reimbursement, malpractice insurance, and privacy that obstruct its development and utilization, and offers recommendations addressing these barriers. Appendix A presents case studies of broadband and telehealth development in several states and territories.
Date: 11/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Communications Commission, Intergovernmental Advisory Committee to the Federal Communications Commission
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Infectious Diseases Society of America Position Statement on Telehealth and Telemedicine as Applied to the Practice of Infectious Diseases
Position statement to educate members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America on telehealth and to promote use of this technology in clinical care, research, and education. Explores the potential to increase access to subspecialist care in rural areas, and describes reimbursement policies of private insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid, for telehealth services provided to patients in rural areas. Also describes HIPAA requirements for telehealth interactions and protected health information.
Author(s): Jeremy D. Young, Rima Abdel-Massih, Thomas Herchline, et al.
Citation: Clinical Infectious Diseases, 68(9), 1437-1443
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
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Position statement to educate members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America on telehealth and to promote use of this technology in clinical care, research, and education. Explores the potential to increase access to subspecialist care in rural areas, and describes reimbursement policies of private insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid, for telehealth services provided to patients in rural areas. Also describes HIPAA requirements for telehealth interactions and protected health information.
Author(s): Jeremy D. Young, Rima Abdel-Massih, Thomas Herchline, et al.
Citation: Clinical Infectious Diseases, 68(9), 1437-1443
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
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Building a Pediatric Patient Registry to Study Health Outcomes Among Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth at a Rural Gender Clinic
Describes the creation of a registry of transgender and gender expansive youth patients at a rural New York gender clinic for the purpose of filling gaps about knowledge in gender-affirming therapy. 139 patients consented to enrollment in the registry. Figure 6 includes a rural and urban breakdown of patient residences. Discusses registry design and data gathered including ethical considerations given to geographic data in regards to privacy and low population levels in rural areas.
Author(s): Jane O'Bryan, Kimberly Leon, Carolyn Wolf-Gould, et al.
Citation: Transgender Health 3(1), 179-189
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
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Describes the creation of a registry of transgender and gender expansive youth patients at a rural New York gender clinic for the purpose of filling gaps about knowledge in gender-affirming therapy. 139 patients consented to enrollment in the registry. Figure 6 includes a rural and urban breakdown of patient residences. Discusses registry design and data gathered including ethical considerations given to geographic data in regards to privacy and low population levels in rural areas.
Author(s): Jane O'Bryan, Kimberly Leon, Carolyn Wolf-Gould, et al.
Citation: Transgender Health 3(1), 179-189
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
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Health Disparities: Closing the Gaps Using Faith-Based Institutions
Explores the role of religious institutions in rural communities, particularly related to promoting and enhancing health and wellness activities. Discusses barriers and concerns to utilizing faith-based institutions, provides program examples, and makes policy recommendations for improving current and future relationships. Also addresses the implications of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and concerns around protected health information in the faith-based setting.
Author(s): Dallas Martin, Joy Williams, Patricia Crawford, Nikki King
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Explores the role of religious institutions in rural communities, particularly related to promoting and enhancing health and wellness activities. Discusses barriers and concerns to utilizing faith-based institutions, provides program examples, and makes policy recommendations for improving current and future relationships. Also addresses the implications of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and concerns around protected health information in the faith-based setting.
Author(s): Dallas Martin, Joy Williams, Patricia Crawford, Nikki King
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Behavioral Health Data Exchange Consortium: ONC State Health Policy Consortium Project
Discusses pilot programs for behavioral health data exchanges between states. Addresses challenges for sharing behavioral health information electronically due to privacy protection laws at the state level. Reports on an intrastate pilot test in New Mexico on the transfer of information between two clinics (one behavioral health and the other primary care) in a rural setting.
Date: 06/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Discusses pilot programs for behavioral health data exchanges between states. Addresses challenges for sharing behavioral health information electronically due to privacy protection laws at the state level. Reports on an intrastate pilot test in New Mexico on the transfer of information between two clinics (one behavioral health and the other primary care) in a rural setting.
Date: 06/2014
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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The Country Doctor
Focuses on ethical concerns physicians face in rural settings. Includes discussion of issues related to patient privacy, overlapping roles for rural physicians, and other topics.
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 13(5), 269-330
Date: 05/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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Focuses on ethical concerns physicians face in rural settings. Includes discussion of issues related to patient privacy, overlapping roles for rural physicians, and other topics.
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 13(5), 269-330
Date: 05/2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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