Q: If researchers want to obtain PHI for a person who died of COVID-19, what is the protocol for releasing that information? What are the HIPAA protections?
Q: As sports leagues attempt to make their return, many are going to be using daily COVID-19 testing as part of their protocol. Obviously, the leagues need to quarantine any individual who tests positive for the virus. But why is the covered entity that is performing the testing allowed to disclose a patient’s test results to the leagues?
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic upended the U.S. healthcare system in innumerable ways. Experts believe the new post-COVID-19 normal will not be exactly the same as it was pre-pandemic. For one, telehealth is here to stay.
Q: I have read recently about the uptick in “vishing,” or voicemail messaging scams, targeting remote healthcare workers. What are your recommendations for protecting against this type of threat?
An organization’s privacy and security policies are only as effective as its training. All the right work can be done at the top level, but if the messages are not clearly disseminated to staff, an organization can find itself in a difficult position.