Why were new security and electronic signature standards needed as part of compliance with HIPAA regulations?
The new standards have been developed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of individual health information. No existing standard provides uniform, comprehensive protection of individual health information. HIPAA mandates new security standards to protect an individual s health information while permitting the appropriate access and use of that information by healthcare providers, clearinghouses, and health plans. HIPAA also mandates that a new electronic signature standard be used where an electronic signature is employed in the transmission of a HIPAA standard transaction.
