Final answer:
The HITECH Act, part of the ARRA of 2009, was enacted to promote the adoption of electronic health records by healthcare providers, offering financial incentives and imposing penalties. It also strengthened privacy and security regulations for patient health information.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is the HITECH Act?
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act is a component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The HITECH Act was designed to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology, particularly the use of electronic health records (EHRs) by healthcare providers. To encourage healthcare providers to adopt EHRs, the Act included financial incentives through Medicare and Medicaid, and later penalties for those who failed to demonstrate meaningful use of the technology.
The HITECH Act also addressed the privacy and security concerns associated with electronic health records. It introduced stricter regulations and increased penalties for breaches of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). By setting standards for the exchange of healthcare information and requiring the protection of patient data, the HITECH Act aimed to improve healthcare quality, safety, and efficiency in the United States.