In what year was the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) established?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was established in 1996. This significant piece of legislation was created to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system by mandating standards for the protection of sensitive patient information. It aimed to ensure that patient data remained private and secure while allowing for necessary information exchange for healthcare purposes. Understanding the year HIPAA was enacted is crucial as it lays the foundation for many patient rights and protections that are now integral to healthcare practice and patient experience. The timeline of HIPAA's implementation marks a pivotal moment in healthcare policy, and recognizing this helps to contextualize the ongoing discussions around patient privacy and data security in the healthcare landscape today.