HIPAA Privacy & Security Compliance
Tue, 11/07/2017 - 15:06
A company based in the state of Pennsylvania that develops wireless technology that’s used to assist physicians in the care of their cardiology patients was recently fined in excess of $2 million for a HIPAA breach that occurred when the protected health information (PHI) belonging to nearly 1,400 individuals was compromised after a company employee’s laptop was stolen. The Office for Civil... Read More
Wed, 09/06/2017 - 11:36
What are the rules regarding IMD safety? That all depends on whom you ask.
Imagine being a patient and having to worry about someone hacking into your newly implanted pacemaker. Could this really happen, or is this just an “old wives’ tale” with a millennial flavor? Back in 2007, doctors disconnected the wireless function in then Vice President Dick Cheney’s left ventricular assist device... Read More
Mon, 07/03/2017 - 14:15
The digital age in which we all live in and work in brings us unique opportunities from both a personal and professional standpoint. With most of us having easy access to the Internet while at home and on the go, which offers us free utilization of email, social media, and, to some extent, mobile apps, our ability to obtain and disseminate information has essentially become limitless. However,... Read More
Fri, 03/31/2017 - 15:18
In the world of HIPAA, you are your brother’s (or sister’s) keeper. Under the HIPAA HITECH Act enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment of 2009, that means, legally speaking, that any covered entity (CE) — namely the healthcare provider — is indeed liable for the actions of any business associate (BA). The BA, as it pertains to HIPAA, is any person or entity that performs any... Read More
Tue, 02/07/2017 - 15:56
Provider-to-provider and provider-to-patient text messaging continues to increase. The risks and penalties associated with HIPAA violations are also on the rise.
The risks associated with sending electronic protected health information (ePHI) via unencrypted text messaging are significant, especially given the climate of rising enforcement of compliance as it pertains to HIPAA and HITECH.... Read More
Thu, 01/05/2017 - 16:29
With the hundreds of pages that it takes to cover the breadth of HIPAA regulations, not to mention the regulations’ inherent complexity, it’s no wonder myths and rumors about compliance abound. Additionally, there are many “experts” who have only limited training (or no training, in fact) on the regulations themselves. However, HIPAA audits performed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human... Read More
Fri, 10/07/2016 - 11:31
Editor’s Note: This article was reprinted with permission.
Threats to the security of electronic protected health information (ePHI) evolve constantly, in ways that could not have been envisioned in 1996, when HIPAA was enacted. Cyber security has since become a term that’s front and center in our daily lives, personally as well as professionally.
This article will discuss what cyber security... Read More
Thu, 09/15/2016 - 17:00
This article will discuss disclosures for law enforcement purposes permitted under HIPAA. Various scenarios will be introduced, with relevant HIPAA regulations integrated in the responses.
There is often considerable confusion about the type of protected health information (PHI) healthcare providers can legally release to law enforcement, in part because state laws govern the release of patient... Read More
Tue, 08/09/2016 - 16:06
Ethics focus on actions we should take — what we should and should not do. Ethics shape our values, cultures, and worldviews, and give us sensitivity to considering how our actions affect the welfare of others. In our society, we value privacy, which in the medical arena was not very well regulated until HIPAA was passed in 1996 and enacted in 2003 — even when considering the presence of the... Read More
Mon, 07/11/2016 - 15:18
Advanced digital technology has led to a proliferation of photo chronicling to help guide care and documentation. Is your wound clinic managing and protecting patient records appropriately?
When using photographs to more accurately document and to enhance a patient’s wound care treatment, privacy and confidentiality issues can arise that could put providers in violation of federal HIPAA... Read More
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