Which regulation protects patient privacy and restricts release of information?

• A. Informed Consent
• B. Heart Attack
• C. Hyperthermia
• D. HIPPA

Answer: (D)

HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, protects patient privacy by limiting how medical information is used and disclosed. It sets rules for covered entities like doctors, hospitals, and insurers, ensuring safeguards for protected health information and giving patients rights over their records. This regulation goes beyond simply getting consent for a procedure; it governs who can see PHI, in what contexts, and under what protections, with penalties for breaches. Informed consent concerns agreeing to treatment, not the broader privacy protections, while heart attack and hyperthermia are medical conditions, not regulatory rules.