Explain the HIPAA Privacy Rule as it relates to safeguarding the privacy of individually identifiable health information.

Explanation should include

• definition of HIPAA, security, confidentiality, privacy, encryption, informed consent
• primary purposes (i.e., privacy of health information, security of electronic records, administrative simplification, insurance portability)
• entities that must comply with HIPAA
• office policy and procedures relating to the release of medical information, including subpoena duces tecum of records
• laws governing release and retention of records.