Which of the following issues is addressed by HITECH regarding privacy?

HITECH, or the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, specifically addresses breach notification as a key issue regarding privacy in healthcare. The act enhances the privacy and security protections for health information established under HIPAA.

Breach notification requirements under HITECH mandate that healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities covered by HIPAA inform individuals when there is a breach of their unsecured protected health information. This requirement was implemented to ensure that individuals are made aware of potential risks to their personal health information, thereby promoting transparency and accountability among healthcare entities.

While patient education, emergency health services, and state-specific mandates are important aspects of healthcare and privacy, they are not the specific focus of HITECH in the same way that breach notification is emphasized. HITECH enhances the obligations surrounding breaches to help maintain patient trust and secure health information.