Maintaining the confidential nature of patient records is integral to patient care and the practice of health information management. In addition to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which includes privacy regulations, California has several state laws governing health information privacy, such as the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, California Patient Access to Health Records Act and the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act.

To help providers comply with the myriad of regulations, CHA offers the California Health Information Privacy Manual, a California-specific resource that compares privacy requirements under HIPAA to state laws. Information pertaining to privacy laws is also contained in CHA’s Consent Manual and CHA’s Record and Data Retention Schedule. Educational opportunities are available periodically for specific privacy-related topics. CHA also advocates on behalf of member hospitals in the Legislature and regulatory arenas regarding health information privacy laws.