The 2009 HITECH Act created the breach reporting rule. The following will summarize the rule, paying specific attention to the modifications that were detailed in the Omnibus Rule of January 23, 2013.
Q. Do laptops need to be encrypted if there is no PHI stored on them? Employees do use them to access PHI, but the PHI is stored remotely. We have a policy that states that employees are not allowed to save PHI to laptops.
Primary Health Care in Des Moines, Iowa, recently announced an email breach of its system one year after discovery. This exceeds the timeframe outlined in the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, which states that organizations are required to report a breach within 60 days of discovery.
Q. I’ve been taught to tell our patients, “We look forward to seeing you on x day at x time with x doctor.” This has always been left on cell phone voice mails or home phones. Is this a HIPAA-compliant practice?
When it comes to patients’ PHI, every little detail matters. Whether it’s the alignment of a preprinted mailer or installing antivirus software on your system, these details can make the difference in your health system’s security. Below are four recent security incidents that run the gamut in terms of technology involved, but all of which made the OCR breach report.
The shift from fee-for-service to value-based programs for outpatient payment systems has increased the need for outpatient CDI staff to review documentation for pertinent clinical factors.
A former employee of the Transformations Autism Treatment Center in Bartlett, Tennessee, was sentenced to a 30-month imprisonment with a three year supervised release on March 2 for hacking 300 patient files, states a press release from the Department of Justice. The employee will also be facing a monetary fine of $14,941.36 in restitution, as decided by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr.
Brush up on the Joint Commission's data management session topics before surveyors visit your hospitals. Follow these tips to ensure a successful survey.
Creating and maintaining an ethical work culture is everyone's responsibility. Always set an example of respect, honesty, and fairness for your family, friends, and colleagues.
