HIPAA- in expanded form is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which was enacted by Congress and signed by President Clinton in 1996 .It ensures that Medical information  remains protected and is a right of every patient .It is also the duty of the treating  Medical Organization to cooperate in the best possible  manner .

When we start the medical practice , as physicians , we have to do  HIPAA training .Its a part of standard care .We have to   update it every year as a part of oraganizational  CME. Failing to maintain HIPAA standards has dire consequences . 

As  per HIPAA – we can’t discuss patient details where other people have easy hearing access to it .We cannot let the computer on in the work area when we are not working on it . We cannot let the forms be placed face up  in the public area and so on and so forth 

But surprisingly as we reach higher echelon in public offices – all HIPAA goes out of the window .Every shred of your body is a public property . The whole world discusses your health prognosis , correctly or  incorrectly .

The recent uproar about Secretary Clinton’s pneumonia was  unfortunate .When we do not trust presidential  nominees,  whether they are physically or mentally  healthy enough to carry out their jobs , how  can you trust them with decisions , which are in the best possible interest for the country and the whole world ?

Well , that’s the way we are .