Q: I work for a small rural hospital, and we have a lot of budget limitations for technology upgrades. Can we allow clinical staff to use their personal cell phones and mobile devices to communicate with patients? If so, how can we keep our calls, email, and text messages HIPAA compliant?
Q: We do in-depth HIPAA assessments for our clients, but some clients want a simple assessment that they can keep up with them to maintain compliance. Do you have any recommendations for streamlining security assessments?
Q: I work in a residential care facility, and we have smart speakers in some resident rooms. Patient information is discussed where these smart devices can “hear” it. Although most manufacturers claim speakers are not “listening in,” we all hear about how speakers sometimes do what manufacturers say they do not. Could these speakers lead to a HIPAA violation?
Stacey Sexton, RHIA, explains how HIM professionals' roles are evolving and details how they can bridge the gap between clinical care and advanced analytics.
