As a person who works within the healthcare industry, understanding HIPAA is a necessity, even if it is knowing just the basic rules. These rules and regulations are complex and ever-changing so that they can keep up with the fluid landscape of healthcare, so unless you are an expert, it is unlikely that you know...
We’re halfway through this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month and never has it been more important to make sure that you are informed and making smart cyber choices in both your personal and professional life. With the pandemic providing cybercriminals ample opportunity to take advantage of our uncertainties in many aspects, and with online activity through...
We all know (or should know) that human error accounts for the majority of breaches. Phishing gives hackers entry to a business’s front door by manipulating the employees who work there. Phishing is when a cyberattack is disguised and delivered using email as the carrier or weapon. Through very convincing and cleverly designed messages, the...
You’ve likely heard of a risk analysis. Hopefully, you’ve also performed one for your organization. Whether you’ve been helping your organization work on its HIPAA compliance for years, or you’re new to the world of HIPAA, performing a risk analysis should be a high-priority item on your business’s to-do list. Let’s start with the basics....
HIPAA Requirement While it is required within HIPAA rules and regulations to complete a risk assessment regularly, the question may still be in your mind regarding WHY you have to do this. The legal ramifications are obvious. If audited, you’ll have to show a risk assessment as part of your HIPAA compliance program. And remember,...
Medical Informatics Engineering, Inc. (MIE), a software and electronic medical records service provider has paid the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services $100,000 to settle a HIPAA breach from 2015. The Indiana-based company reported the data breach to OCR on July 23, 2015, following the discovery that...
As the digital ecosystem continues to thrive and advance, so too must the regulations and practices for safely caring for sensitive data. That is especially true for the healthcare industry, which continues to be a prime target for cybercriminals. Healthcare practices need to appropriately safeguard electronic protected health information in compliance with the Health Insurance...
As we move into the second half of the year, many practices and physicians are starting to consider the data they will need to submit under the MACRA/MIPS program. The MACRA/MIPS rules change slightly every year, and this year is no exception. Even though the rules have been adjusted, a basic requirement remains in place: ...
April 2018 OCR Cyber Security Newsletter Risk Analyses vs. Gap Analyses – What is the difference? The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules require covered entities and their business associates to safeguard electronic protected health information (ePHI) through reasonable and appropriate security measures. One of these measures required...
While mobile devices play a major role in how we stay connected to the world in our personal lives, they are also becoming increasingly popular in our work environments. Not only are mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops convenient in the workplace, but they can also help increase productivity. In its October cybersecurity...
Recent Comments