Q. My email remains encrypted until it is opened. I have received two requests-via email and certified letter-from the patient's parent requesting records be sent by email or mail. I know legally a person may request this, but we must provide this service when we can ensure that the person requesting is who he or she says he or she is. Does a certified letter with recognizable signature or email from a known email address of a parent qualify as verification of the parent's identity?
Knowing when a breach occurred is one of the keys to reducing the risks associated with a breach of unsecure protected health information (PHI). Another is speedy mitigation.
Although it hasn't released many details yet, OCR plans to resume its audits to assess compliance with HIPAA privacy, security, and breach notification requirements in 2014. The government agency also plans to expand the audit focus to include business associates (BA).
Medical identity theft is on the rise and healthcare organizations need to ensure they are authenticating a patient's identity before providing medical services and products.
Q . Is it permissible to take pictures of patients (including behavioral health) for identification purposes as a part of the registration process? Do the patients need to sign a consent form before their picture can be taken?
