CMS in November unwrapped an early holiday gift by granting 90 ‘enforcement free’ days during which it will not penalize providers and payers for non-compliance. Healthcare organizations, of course, were still required to comply by the Jan. 1, 2012 deadline. The grace period was generally received as a pragmatic, welcome change so that clearinghouses, providers, and payers have time to iron out the wrinkles. If healthcare organizations “actually maintain the same urgency and focus they should have had all along,” it will pay off, said Steve Sisko, a technology consultant focused on HIPAA 5010 and ICD-10. “But I^m sure some will take this as an opportunity to slack off.” Sisko explained that some payers have spent considerable time on 5010, and that “it’s really the providers who are the slackers, and 5010 should largely be handled by most providers billing services not the practice itself like will have to be done for ICD-10.”

provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of personal health information needed for patient care and other important purposes. The Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for covered entities to use to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information.

Electronic Health Records An electronic health record (EHR) is computer-based document that is used by your doctor, your doctor’s staff, or a hospital. An EHR (similar to your old paper medical chart) contains health information from your doctor and other health care providers. A typical EHR has information about your health conditions, allergies, treatments, tests, and medications.

Electronic prescribing or e-prescribing (eRx) is a way for your doctor and other health care providers to send your prescriptions to your pharmacy electronically. Instead of writing out a prescription and having you take it to your drugstore, your doctor orders your medication through her office computer, which then sends a secure electronic prescription to your pharmacist.

Personal Health Records Your personal health record (PHR) is an online document with information about your health (and the health of family members) that you keep up to date for easy reference. Using your PHR, you can keep track of your family’s health information, such as the date of your children’s immunizations, last physical exam, major illnesses and operations, allergies, or a list of family medicines.