In what year did the HIPAA Privacy Rule go into effect?

The HIPAA Privacy Rule went into effect in 2003. This rule established national standards for the protection of individuals' medical records and other personal health information. Its purpose is to ensure that healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities handling personal health information maintain the privacy and confidentiality of that information. The effectiveness date marked a pivotal moment in healthcare regulation, as it brought a structured approach to safeguarding sensitive patient data, significantly impacting how healthcare organizations operate and how they handle patient information. The timeline leading up to this implementation involved initial legislation in 1996 with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), but the specifics of the Privacy Rule were enacted in 2003.