What is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act?

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act is a federal law that was passed in 2009 in the United States. It was implemented by the federal government to improve the security and privacy of health information stored electronically. HITECH is aimed at reducing fraud and improving data security. It also encourages the use of health information technology, such as electronic health records (EHRs), to better manage and share health information. In Massachusetts, the HITECH Act is used to influence state laws related to data security and privacy. When healthcare providers store and exchange electronic health data in Massachusetts, the HITECH Act requires them to have appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards in place to protect the information. This includes the use of secure passwords, encryption, data backup and storage, and timely destruction of data. The law also requires providers to report any security breaches that result in the unauthorized release or use of health information. Overall, the HITECH Act is designed to ensure that all health information stored and exchanged electronically is protected in a secure environment. This protects patient privacy and helps to ensure that healthcare providers can keep up with the latest security measures to protect electronic health data.

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What is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act?

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