What are some additional suggestions a healthcare facility might design to comply with HIPAA today?

Week 3 Discussion

Reply to the following using at least 175 words per reply. Be constructive and professional in your reply. Be sure to use FULL APA references and in-text citations.

1. One of the major legislative acts to impact facility design is the HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act created in 1996. This act was created to ensure patients privacy and confidentiality.

Relating to how this act impacts facility design in HIPPA Compliance article we find the following suggestions to make every reasonable effort with facility design to comply with this Act.

· Patient charts should be located out of view from patients and visitors.

· Computers with patient information on them: Computers that have patient information on them should be placed outside the view of patient and visitors, the computer should be secured to the workspace, a 3M privacy screen should be used when in a public area.

· Remember that information given verbally to patients is for the intended recipient only and plan accordingly.

This includes using noise reducing features such as NCR-rated (noise reduction coefficient, how much noise gets absorbed at mid-range frequencies) ceiling tiles, placing acoustic panels near the registration desk, using STC-rated (sound transmission coefficient, sound insulating properties) HTL cubical curtains in patient bays, using TVs or music to lessen sound transmittal and making sure there is ample room between patients when verbal information is being exchanged. (HCD, 2010).

What are some additional suggestions a healthcare facility might design to comply with HIPAA today?

HCD Guest Author (2010, January 12). ASID: HIPAA Compliance and Healthcare Design. Healthcare Design.

ASID: HIPAA compliance and healthcare design

2. Let us look at the impact on healthcare design created by the population living longer. In the Joint Commissions’ Planning and Design book we find the problem described as;

The impact of the health care trends of living longer and healthier through better building design is a laudable approach, but it may not always be an affordable one. In recent years, the health care market in the United States has been wrestling with cost containment due to annual health care costs that, until recently, have far exceeded the consumer price index.

In addition, the market is redefining itself following passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) legislation of March 2010. The ACA, while increasing the number of insured patients, is also reducing the level of reimbursements provided to hospitals and providers; this further exacerbates the pressure to reduce the costs of providing care. (2015).

What types of design features can healthcare facility designers incorporate to improve facility design and reduce the cost of providing care?

Joint Commission Resources. Retrieved:

https://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/-/media/jci/jci-documents/offerings/advisory-services/industry-services-program/ebpdc15sample.pdf?db=web&hash=5A79570EBAAEDFE3A2E8D408DEF5672D