Practice Question
Which of the following describes the impact of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act on the Heath Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in nursing practice?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
HITECH extends HIPAA protections to include electronic health records (EHRS).
Rationale:
✨ The HITECH Act was created to strengthen and extend HIPAA protections specifically for electronic health information, including EHRs.
✨ It highlights the need for privacy and security safeguards when PHI is stored, transmitted, or accessed electronically.
✨ HITECH also increased penalties for breaches, required breach notifications, and expanded obligations for business associates.
✨ For nurses, this means strict compliance when using EHRs, electronic communication, and health IT systems.
✨ Therefore, this option correctly describes how HITECH builds on HIPAA to cover electronic data more robustly.
HITECH reduces the legal requirements for data privacy and security.
✨ HITECH does not reduce legal requirements; it tightens and strengthens them, especially for electronic PHI (ePHI).
✨ The Act increases accountability for healthcare organizations and business associates handling electronic data.
✨ It requires more robust technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect PHI.
✨ By enhancing penalties and requiring breach notification, HITECH makes privacy and security more strict, not more relaxed.
✨ Therefore, this statement is directly opposite of HITECH’s true impact.
HITECH eliminates HIPAA's requirement for informed consent before sharing information.
✨ HITECH does not eliminate the need for appropriate authorizations or consents when required by HIPAA.
✨ HIPAA’s Privacy Rule governing use and disclosure of PHI remains in place and is reinforced by HITECH, not removed.
✨ The expectation that clients understand and agree to how their data is used is still a core part of ethical and legal practice.
✨ HITECH focuses mainly on electronic systems and security, not erasing consent requirements.
✨ Thus, this option misrepresents the relationship between the two laws.
HITECH allows nurses to share client data without penalties.
✨ HITECH actually increases potential penalties for improper use or disclosure of PHI, particularly electronic data.
✨ Unauthorized sharing, careless handling of PHI, or breaches can result in fines, sanctions, and disciplinary action.
✨ Nurses must be more—not less—careful when transmitting or accessing electronic health information.
✨ The Act promotes stricter compliance and enforcement, not leniency.
✨ Therefore, this statement is inaccurate and contrary to the intent of HITECH.
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This question is from Examplify RN Informatics which contains 8 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: RN Informatics 🌐
- Answer Choices: 4