The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) was created to protect which type of records?

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) specifically focuses on enhancing the privacy and security of electronic health information. One of its primary goals is to encourage the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and to strengthen the enforcement of the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HITECH provides a framework for the secure exchange of health information, ensures that electronic patient data is protected, and mandates that healthcare institutions implement stringent safeguards to protect this electronic data.

While physical, unstructured, and paper-based records are important aspects of healthcare documentation, HITECH is particularly designed to address the unique challenges and risks associated with electronic health records due to their digital nature and the increasing reliance on technology in managing patient information.