Final answer:
The Security Rule ensures that Covered Entities (CEs) protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information (ePHI). It involves implementing safeguards and maintaining compliance with federal regulations under HIPAA.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ultimately the Security Rule seeks to ensure that Covered Entities (CEs) protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information (ePHI) that they create, receive, maintain, or transmit. The Security Rule is part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which sets national standards for the protection of individual medical records and other personal health information by various entities, including health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers that conduct certain health care transactions electronically.
The Security Rule requires CEs to implement physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to ensure the secure passage, storage, and handling of ePHI. Such measures include but are not limited to user authentication mechanisms, encryption, security incident procedures, and contingency planning to preserve ePHI against threats or unauthorized access. Adherence to these standards is crucial in maintaining patient trust and ensuring compliance with federal regulations.