Read over the case study: Patient's Right to Restriction

found on page 452-452 of your Introduction to Healthcare Informatics textbook. Once you have read through the case study, answer the following three questions.

What is your opinion on the right of the patient to restrict restrictions on disclosure of their information to a health plan (insurance)?

If they did not have this policy in place at the Watkings Health Services, what might be the possible actions of the students who did not want this information released?

Depending on your answer, would there be any consequences to the student?

The case study can also be found below:

The HITECH-HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule added complexity to patient restrictions, requiring healthcare providers to restrict disclosures of records if the associated treatment is paid for out-of-pocket by the patient. Because of this, healthcare organizations have had to implement changes in their restrictions policies and procedures. The following case study is how one organization addressed the patients' right to request restrictions on the disclosure of their information.

Watkins Health Services is a large clinic serving the University of Kansas

(KU) in Lawrence, Kansas. Although healthcare services are provided to staff and faculty, the vast majority of more than 110,000 annual visits involve KU students. Watkins has nine board-certified physicians, three nurse practitioners, a nursing staff of 15, plus its own pharmacy, physical therapy services, lab, and radiology departments. KU boasts three RHIA-credentialed staff members, a luxury in college health.

The HITECH-HIPAA Final Omnibus Rule's provision giving patients the right to request restrictions on the disclosure of information to a health plan merely codified a practice that had been in place for decades. This is probably true for many college health services that perform third-party billing and yes, some still do not bill insurance.

At least a couple of times a week, a student will have certain health procedures or lab tests performed, or pick up medications in the pharmacy that he or she prefers not be billed to insurance. KU providers, nurses, lab, and pharmacy personnel are well-versed in advising the student about the "private billing" option. The patient merely has to complete the "Restrictions on Use and Disclosure" form in the business office. Although KU encourages these patients to pay that same day, if possible, this is certainly not mandatory. However, it is essential that KU have the correct address for billing these charges so that they can honor a patient's request.

The specific charges are flagged in the system with a private billing transaction code. The restrictions form is sent to the health information management (HIM) department where it is scanned into the electronic health record (EHR) system. The HIM staff will enter an administrative alert in that patient's EHR and registration file indicating this form has been completed and signed.

HIM employees who process requests for disclosure will first look for any administrative alerts. If a restriction alert is there, the employee will review the scanned form and follow it accordingly.

To help spread the word of the private billing option, KU has information about the process on Watkins's business office website. Furthermore, there is an FAQ link on their website that provides students with answers to their frequent questions, such as "Can I pay for certain services without billing my insurance?" Some students also know about the private billing option via word of mouth.

This process works well because all Watkins personnel are well-informed about it and promote it while only business office and HIM staff are actually involved in carrying out the patient's request.