The HITECH Act (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act) was enacted to promote the adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) in the United States. It expands on the privacy and security provisions of HIPAA by introducing stricter enforcement, higher penalties for non-compliance, and extending requirements to business associates of healthcare entities. The HITECH Act also mandates breach notifications and enhances the overall security and privacy of protected health information (PHI).