What Exactly Are HIPAA and HIPAA Protected Health Information?

With the creation of the Internet and other major data sharing sources, things started changing dramatically in the way that information is transferred between many different sources. Using the web and data software for medical records retrieval, prior to government regulated action, did not really provide security or privacy for the patients whose records were being shared. Thus, HIPAA was born and protected health information became a reality. Time to explain what exactly HIPAA is and what does it cover as a law?
First, it is important to begin with a general definition of HIPAA. In 1996, the United States passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act changed the way healthcare workers and providers are allowed to handle medical record retrieval and the sharing of personal healthcare information. This act is relevant for all Americans, whether they are infants, adults, or even deceased. HIPAA protected health information encompasses all walks of life and all sorts of professionals who may or may not need to access the private information of others. This act was passed to prevent the random access of information via networks, and makes it so that medical professionals and others who frequently use medical records have to obtain permission from patients to share or access this material.
Because HIPAA protected health information is protected under federal law, all states have to apply by these regulations, and can only add to them, not take away from their severity. Improper medical records retrieval can result in serious consequences. All punishment results in fines, and these fines can add up to over one million dollars, which to most people, is an exorbitant amount of money. Keeping patients safe and secure both physically and also record wise is crucial for patient safety and success.
HIPAA protected health information encompasses many areas of the medical field and several other professions. Essentially, all information about a patient is protected by this act. A patient has to give consent before anything, but his or her first name can be shared with others. Medical records retrieval is something that is needed in other professions as well, such as legal personnel. HIPAA protects patients from lawyers obtaining their information without court ordered documents. This makes sure that a patient's personal business is not put out there for just anyone to see and spread. By covering all information, there is no chance of anything being left up to chance regarding the security and safety of patients.
HIPAA protected health information is something that no one wants to have distributed publicly for the entire world to see. HIPAA protects every citizen of this country from the unlawful and unfair spreading of his or her personal medical information. Without explicit permission or a signed document, there is no way to get away from having to pay an expensive fine if one violates the HIPAA protection act. Medical records retrieval is something that might be considered a little time consuming since HIPAA has been signed into law, but it has become safer and more secure for everyone.

Baby Health Information - Three Tips You Might Not Know

When it comes to your baby, health information is some of the most important stuff that you need to pay attention to. If you are a new parent, there are probably lots of little tips and tricks that you will soon learn. But, to help you get started, here are three important bits of information concerning your baby's health that you might not have known before.
Keep your baby warm, but not too warm
Dr. William Sears, a father of eight children and a practicing pediatrician for over 30 years, advises new parents all the time. He says that many parents try to keep their baby too warm. A young child does not need to be at a temperature much higher than room temperature. Over-bundling your child can lead to a lot of health problems - foremost, overheating can lead to the disruption of a baby's neurological systems. This could cause your baby to stop breathing or to slow breathing to the point where brain damage might actually occur.
You should also be careful to keep your baby at a constant temperature. A baby's brain does not react well to abrupt changes in temperature. So, in the winter months when it is time to take your baby outside into the cold, you should bundle them up inside to allow their body heat to create a barrier to the cold. In the same way, during the summer you should always be mindful of taking your baby from an air conditioned home out into the heat.
Think about using baby massage
Baby massage techniques have been used for centuries throughout different cultures around the world - but, it still remains some of the least known baby health information in modern North America. A baby massage is the simple act of rubbing and massaging your baby very gently and with love. A 10 minute massage one or two times each week will really help to strengthen the parent-child relationship. Children need touch just as much as they need food, so setting some time aside to gently massage your baby is a great way to make them feel more comfortable with you and relax them at the same time.
Try swaddling
Swaddling refers to covering your baby from head to toe with a small blanket. Swaddling has been used in just about every culture and is really making some headway in the modern baby health information age. Swaddling does a lot to help nurture the relationship that a parent has with their child. However, it has some additional benefits as well. Swaddling helps to regulate a child's internal body temperature and it just makes the baby into a cute little package!
You can safely swaddle your child until they are about four months old. If they start to get a little bit squirmy, you can free their arms and give them a little bit more room to move. However, it is likely that your baby will get used to swaddling quickly and enjoy being so close to you.
Perhaps you have never heard of these baby health information tips, but I suggest that you look into them a bit further. You can always ask for advice or help from a midwife or a pediatrician. The bottom line is that you should find out what your baby really needs and make sure that they get it.