Reference no: EM133035764

Text: Further explain Questions: No. Accepting Money for Information The director of the HIM department serves as the system manager for the department's system that assigns codes to patient accounts. The system downloads patient-identifiable demographics to facilitate the use of the database for facility reporting to analyze physician practice patterns, patient outcomes, and facility utilization. The HIM director's department budget has been cut again this year by 10 percent. The transcription equipment is in need of constant repair, and the fax machine jams on a regular basis. An entrepreneur starting a service to provide home dialysis visits to patients is trying to decide if there will be enough business to support his new business venture. He also needs to know which patients receive dialysis and which physicians treat patients with this condition. He offers the HIM director a good sum of money for a downloaded listing of information on patients with applicable diagnosis types. The money provided to the HIM director could be used to replace the fax machine and pay for a regular service contract. The business is for a good cause, and the department could really use the money.

1. Is it acceptable for the HIM director to accept the offer from the new business entrepreneur?

2. Would anyone be harmed if the HIM director released the information to the entrepreneur?

Yes.

3. Would this violate any HIPAA standard, and, if so, what would the penalty be for this violation?

Yes,