HIPAA

In August, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a settlement with New England Dermatology P.C., known as New England Dermatology and Laser Center, over the improper disposal of PHI, which is a potential HIPAA Privacy Rule violation.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced version 3.3 of the HHS Security Risk Assessment Tool. According to OCR officials, this tool is designed to aid small and medium-sized healthcare organizations in their efforts to assess security risks.

Covered entities and business associates still have trouble getting patients their medical records in a timely fashion.

Rebecca Herold, CDPSE, FIP, CISSP, CIPM, CIPP/US, CIPT, CISM, CISA, FLMI, answers submitted questions on a variety of HIPAA topics.

It may be summer, but there is no vacation when it comes to HIPAA privacy and security. In fact, OCR was extremely busy and active with enforcement in July.

In June, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the decades-old decision on abortion rights and it was enough to have OCR weigh in with some guidance on privacy regulations. OCR issued guidance June 29 to protect patient privacy in the wake of the decision.

Julia Huddleston, CIPP/US, CIPM, CCSFP, answers submitted questions on a variety of HIPAA topics.

The growing number of cybersecurity threats is a significant concern, driving the need for enhanced safeguards of electronic protected health information, according to the Office for Civil Rights.

To better prepare for the rest of the year, here are some topical privacy and security compliance tips and reminders as we surge toward a strong second half of 2022.

Jay Hodes, president of HIPAA compliance company Colington Consulting in Burke, Virginia, sees eight specific challenges organizations face when trying to comply with HIPAA regulations.