AAOHN AND CMSA INTRODUCE
NEW POSITION STATEMENT ON PRIVACY
New Privacy Laws Underscore Need to Protect Client Privacy Rights
ATLANTA — The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. (AAOHN) and the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) today released a joint position statement providing further guidance to nurse case managers (NCMs) and occupational and environmental health nurses (OHNs) in protecting employees’/clients’ privacy rights. The associations partnered to develop the position statement in response to the increasing complexity and host of privacy laws and regulations that have taken effect in recent months at both the state and national levels.
"Protecting the privacy and confidentiality of employee personal health information is one of the ethical and professional tenets of the practice of occupational and environmental health nursing," said AAOHN President Susan A. Randolph. "In addition, both consumers and health care professionals have expressed concern about how privacy will be impacted by new laws such as the Health Information Privacy and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Compliance with laws and regulations continues to be a major challenge to members of both associations. It is through this strategic alliance with CMSA that we leveraged our resources and expertise to best serve workers, workplaces and communities."
The position paper outlines specific steps that OHNs and NCMs can take to ensure confidential handling of personal health information, including:
developing written policies and procedures regulating access, release, transmittal and storage of all health information;
implementing educational activities to inform employees, health care providers and other appropriate individuals of their need to maintain confidentiality of employee health records;
obtaining legal guidance as necessary to aid in the interpretation of unclear practice situations;
establishing and maintaining security standards for transmission and storage of employee personal health information; and
knowing state and local laws and company/facility policies as relevant to privacy and security of personal health information.
"This ground-breaking joint organizational effort will proactively address the multiple confidentiality, privacy, legal and ethical issues impacting case managers and occupational and environmental health nurses in all practice settings." said CMSA Executive Director Jeanne Boling. "Consumer protection and advocacy are critical to the roles of these professionals."
For a complete copy of the AAOHN/CMSA comments, .
Founded in 1942, AAOHN is a 10,000 member professional association dedicated to advancing the health, safety and productivity of domestic and global workforces by providing education, research, public policy and practice resources for occupational and environmental health nurses. These professionals are the largest group of health care providers serving the worksite.
CMSA is an international, non-profit 501(c)(6), multi-disciplinary, professional organization established in 1990 dedicated to promote the growth & value of case management and to support the evolving needs of the case management professional through research and education.
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