Which regulations govern patient privacy and confidentiality?

The correct answer focuses on HIPAA and HITECH regulations, which are specifically designed to protect patient privacy and confidentiality in the healthcare system.

HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, establishes national standards for protecting sensitive patient health information. It outlines the rights of patients regarding their personal health information and sets strict guidelines on how healthcare providers, insurers, and other entities can use and disclose that information.

HITECH, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, complements HIPAA by promoting the adoption of health information technology and reinforces privacy and security protections for electronic health information. It introduced additional provisions to strengthen the protection of health data and imposed penalties for breaches of patient information, thus enhancing the initial framework provided by HIPAA.

The other options listed do not directly pertain to patient privacy and confidentiality. For instance, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations focus on the safety and efficacy of medical products, while OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations deal with workplace safety. PCI (Payment Card Industry) deals with payment card transactions, and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is centered around the privacy of student education records. CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and AHA (American Hospital Association