Joseph Deepesh

What is HIPAA? HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The Act was developed by Congress to protect the confidentiality of a person's medical information. It sets boundaries on the use and release of health records and establishes safeguards to protect the privacy of health information. When does HIPAA go into effect? The HIPAA Privacy Rule has a compliance deadline of April 14, 2003. Does HIPAA only protect patient information in electronic format? No, HIPAA protects all patient information whether it is written or electronic. What is the difference between privacy and security of patient information? Security is the ability to control access and protect information from accidental or intentional disclosures to unauthorized persons. It is done through the use of technical controls. Privacy is the controlling of who is authorized to access patient information and under what circumstances patient information may be accessed, ...

Anatomy of the Heart Your heart is a muscular organ that acts like a pump to continuously send blood throughout your body.   Your heart is at the center of your circulatory system. This system consists of a network of blood vessels, such as arteries, veins, and capillaries. These blood vessels carry blood to and from all areas of your body.   An electrical system regulates your heart and uses electrical signals to contract the heart's walls. When the walls contract, blood is pumped into your circulatory system. A system of inlet and outlet valves in your heart chambers work to ensure that blood flows in the right direction. Your heart is vital to your health and nearly everything that goes on in your body. Without the heart's pumping action, blood can't circulate within your body.   Your blood carries the oxygen and nutrients that your organs need to work normally. Blood also carries carbon dioxide, a waste product, to your lungs to be passed out of your body and into t...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD; Chronic obstructive airways disease; Chronic obstructive lung disease; Chronic bronchitis; Emphysema; Bronchitis - chronic Last reviewed: May 1, 2011. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common lung diseases. It makes it difficult to breathe. There are two main forms of COPD: Chronic bronchitis, which involves a long-term cough with mucus Emphysema, which involves destruction of the lungs over time Most people with COPD have a combination of both conditions. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. The more a person smokes, the more likely that person will develop COPD. However, some people smoke for years and never get COPD. In rare cases, nonsmokers who lack a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin can develop emphysema. Other risk factors for COPD are: Exposure to certain gases or fumes in the workplace Exposure to heavy amounts of secondhand smoke and pollution Frequent use...