Which act requires health care organizations to protect patient information and ensure its confidentiality?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the legislation that specifically mandates health care organizations to protect patient information and ensure its confidentiality. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA established national standards for the protection of health information, emphasizing the importance of patient privacy. It contains provisions that safeguard patients' medical records and other personal health information held by health care providers, health plans, and other entities.

HIPAA requires that covered entities implement specific safeguards to maintain the security and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI). This includes administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that are designed to prevent unauthorized access and disclosure of sensitive health information.

While the HITECH Act also relates to the protection of health information, it primarily focuses on promoting the adoption of health information technology and further enhancing the privacy and security provisions of HIPAA, rather than serving as the foundational legislation for patient confidentiality. FERPA pertains to the confidentiality of student education records, not health information, and the PPACA, while significant in reforming health care coverage, does not directly address the protection of patient information in the same manner as HIPAA does.