in the meticulous world of healthc care the confidentiality and security of patient information are Paramount today we delve into Hippa the health insurance portability and accountability Act and the crucial role pharmacy technicians play in upholding these standards Hippa was enacted in 1996 to ensure that personal health information is adequately protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide highquality Health Care under Hippa protected health information or Phi encompasses all data that Pharmacy staff collect create or store this includes any details that can identify a patient or reveal something about their physical or mental health whether it pertains to past present or future conditions Hippa states that Pharmacy staff may not disclose any information about a patient or their medication to anyone who is not involved in the patient's care information about medication dispensing can be shared only with the patient prescriber and their healthare insurance plan primarily during Payment Processing this sharing must adhere to the minimum necessary standard meaning only the essential information required to process the claim or verify the prescription is disclosed pharmacy technicians should only disclose the information that the other party needs to know for their specific role in the patient's care similarly technicians should only access the information necessary to perform their duties effectively and securely so what should pharmacies do to make sure they are adhering to Hippa well patients using a particular Pharmacy for the first time must sign an acknowledgement that the staff has informed them of HIPPA privacy practices the pharmacy must keep these acknowledgements on file for 6 years after the last date they provide service to the patientes uphold Hippa rigorous privacy and security standards in many ways Hippa strictly forbids selling patient information without explicit consent for example a pharmacy cannot sell patient information to a pharmaceutical company without explicit consent from the patients pharmacies also ensure compliance annually through Hippa training for all staff every Healthcare facility has a hipa privacy officer who serves as a valuable reference and trainer lastly access to sensitive information is tightly controlled regularly updated and immediately revoked if necessary electronic records require protection and employees immediately lose access to data if they quit are fired or transfer departments pharmacy technicians have a crucial responsibility in protecting patients data pharmacy tech should adhere to best practices when handling patients Phi this means no casual conversation ations with colleagues about patients make sure to always protect your computer screen when pulling up sensitive information also when speaking to a patient be aware of your volume to avoid being overheard proper storage and handling of Phi are integral to hippoc compliance in Pharmacy all files need to be stored securely and locked away when no longer needed files should never be thrown in the trash always shredded or incinerated Hippa breaches can involve heavy fines and severe consequences P penalties can go up to $250,000 and 10 years in jail remember that Hippa doesn't just protect patients it protects everyone in the health care facility so if you're ever in doubt as a pharmacy tech about a potential hipa breach seek guidance from a pharmacist or Pharmacy manager