1-1 and 1-2: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

1-1 AND 1-2
(Author’s name)
(Institution affiliated)
1-1 AND 1-2
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), is an act that seeks to safeguard the privacy of any individual medical data. This law came into existence due to cyber-attacks on the health data, hence calling for personal information protection (Lawly, 2012). HIPAA has been implemented and now being enforced on the professional as well as the counselors involved online counseling. Therefore, practitioners are supposed to be conscious of not only the significant aspect of HIPAA but also ways to which it is applied. This act calls for the counselors, to apply the ethical principles of limitations to concealment and privacy in their professions. Thus, HIPAA requires that both the electronic and physical security of confidential health information ensured. HIPAA will include safeguarding the access to materials containing the information kept (Rouse, n.d). Any information that would trace back to the client that confirms their treatment requires protection.
Informed Consent
Informed consent refers to the process by which the doctor or nurse unveils the important information to the patient, who may decide to choose to agree or deny the treatment procedure being suggested (Bord, 2014). Further information in the consent form should include involving the patient as a participant in their treatment decisions. The process includes discussing the kind of procedures to be undertaken, the rational choices to the proposed treatment, possible dangers, benefits and reservations involved and the acknowledgment of the patient to the disclosed information. However, for this information to be binding, the patient must be considered competent to make such decision (Bord, 2014). In the therapeutic relationship, the doctor provides the relevant information to the client or patient on the risks and benefits that are expected to come out (Suttle, 2017). The physician will then proceed to supply the patient with a consent form for signing prior to initiating the treatment. In the provision of distant counseling, the informed consent needs to include the following: confidentiality, verification of client’s identity among others.
References
Bord, D.J. (2014). Informed consent. .washington.e...