Question

A medical office assistant's family asks to see the medical information of her brother-in-law who has just been brought into the emergency room. If the medical office assistant accesses the information it is

A. appropriate because she is a family member.
B. a violation of the Privacy Rule.
C. permissible because she is an employee.
D. prosecutable as fraud.

Answer 1

The medical office assistant accessing her brother-in-law's medical information without proper authorization would be in violation of the privacy rule set by HIPAA.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is B. a violation of the Privacy Rule. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), healthcare professionals are required to maintain strict confidentiality of patient records and protect their privacy. The medical office assistant accessing her brother-in-law's medical information without proper authorization would be in violation of this privacy rule.