Healthcare

Leonardo M. Tamburello, Esq. of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP just completed a 3-part series for Inside Counsel on the current state of healthcare data. In the series, Leonardo examines the current state of the healthcare industry and current regulations such as HIPAA, followed by an in-depth examination of the HIPAA Enforcement Rule as an indicator of more aggressive enforcement, and the final instalment on external and internal threats to information,...

The HIPAA Security Conference, held in September, revealed some new insights into data breaches in the healthcare sector. According to the insights, the majority of data breaches are preventable. According to the insights shared at the conference by Illiana L. Peters, Senior Adviser for HIPAA Compliance and Enforcement, and captured by JD Supra, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigated 1,176 reports involving breach of protected health information (PHI) affecting...

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been planning a new round of “desk audits,” and healthcare organizations have been advised to conduct a comprehensive risk analysis and to be prepared for these audits. The more you are in compliance, and can prove compliance, the better your chances of coming through an audit successfully. As has been mentioned before, meticulous records are key...

The seemingly continual and high profile news surrounding healthcare data breaches, as well as recent changes to HIPAA, are forcing the healthcare industry to take security even more seriously than before. Organizations face increasing fines associated with data breaches. In May 2014, New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center reached a settlement agreement with HHS to pay a $4.8 million fine for HIPAA violations. This follows earlier settlements also reaching...

According to a recent Forrester Research brief, healthcare employee endpoints are one of the most vulnerable sources of data loss. The report, “Stolen And Lost Devices Are Putting Personal Healthcare Information At Risk,” underscores the importance of endpoint management and security to prevent data loss. There is no doubt that mobility has had a positive impact in healthcare. From diagnostic care to physician communications, patients are benefiting from more accurate...