A prospective client asked for our help after receiving a HIPAA audit letter from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). OCR sent the client the letter after one of the client’s business associates experienced a HIPAA related breach. I won’t give any additional information on the client, the business associate or details of the security...
Hot off the American Medical Association (AMA) Wire, a service that provides news and information to AMA members, is a reminder that the HIPAA audits will resume this year. The AMA Wire reminds members that the HIPAA audits will start as early as this summer If you haven’t conducted a privacy and security risk assessment...
Here is a quote from one of our IT partners: My client got physically upset at me when I brought up the topic of HIPAA. They didn’t want to discuss it and said it was just another government regulation and they just want to practice medicine. While I was shocked to hear someone actually say...
Our job at HIPAA Secure Now! is to help our clients comply with HIPAA regulations. As part of that process we try to educate our clients and their employees on the importance of protecting patient privacy. We use examples of HIPAA violations to help clients understand some of the concepts of HIPAA such as; what...
When it comes to complying with the HIPAA Security and Omnibus Rules, there is a lot of confusion as to what needs to be done. And if you look at the amount of work it can be overwhelming; security risk assessment, employee training, policies and procedures, business associates, breach notification, encryption, disaster recovery to name...
We have been writing about the permanent HIPAA audit program that will be put in place in 2014. Details of the program are starting to be released. The full text can be access by going to: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Public Comment Request Here are some of the highlights: Number of Organizations A...
WZZM13 is reporting that several employees of Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, MI have been fired over a picture of a patient posted on Facebook. A source tells WZZM 13 News that an off-duty employee was in the emergency room when he saw an attractive female. He took a picture of her back side and...
HealthITSecurity.com has a very good article called What the HIPAA Omnibus Rule meant for healthcare in 2013 They give a good overview of the HIPAA Omnibus Rule and its impact. What I found even more interesting is some of the comments by OCR regarding their plans for 2014. It gives clear insight into the permanent...
Nobody thinks complying with the HIPAA Security and Omnibus Rules are easy. Both HIPAA regulations are hundreds of pages long, require a lot of understanding, planning, policies and technology to be in full compliance. It should be noted that there is a huge difference between not complying, trying to comply and being in full compliance...
Leon Rodriguez, director of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), spoke this week at the HIMSS Privacy and Security Forum in Boston. Rodriquez gave some interesting insight into where HIPAA enforcement is going. The permanent audit program is scheduled to be in place the beginning of 2014....
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