Whether you’re traveling across town or around the world for medical care, patients should be aware of their HIPAA rights. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, enacted by Congress in 1996. These rights determine that every individual has a right to privacy and confidentiality in their paper and electronic records and transmissions between doctors, organizations and healthcare delivery systems.

Medical travelers may be especially concerned about the security of patient information transferred to foreign facilities through emails, FAX and through phone or written communications. Carrying your medical records with you when you travel also offers some obstacles to security and privacy.

Medical providers and resources that facilitate medical and surgical care for clients and providers around the world are under a certain obligation to protect patient privacy. While there are currently no laws in place to insist that medical providers guard their clients’ medical privacy, those that stand head and shoulders above others do so. PlacidWay, a medical provider and resource located in Denver, Colorado, takes patient privacy and confidentiality seriously. Medical information contained in medical records, history and health insurance policies is treated with respect and security at PlacidWay.

As more health care insurance providers include clauses and options for policy beneficiaries to choose medical tourism as an option for medical care and health tourism, facilitating transfer of information between patient, health insurance provider and medical tourism providers brings with it a number of questions and concerns regarding privacy and confidentiality. As a successful and scaleable business model, PlacidWay offers some of the best practices in the country in regard to upholding and insisting on more than just minimum standards when it comes to quality care.