HIPAA Compliance

Oklahoma Hospital Sued for Alleged HIPAA Violation Over Drowning

by Fred Donovan

McAlester Regional Health Center (MRHC) in Oklahoma is being sued for an alleged HIPAA violation for sharing information on a boy’s drowning with his biological mother, reported the Pauls Valley...

How Does HIPAA Apply to Wearable Health Technology?

by Fred Donovan

The use of wearable health technology is expected to expand substantially within the next few years. Wearable devices offer many health tracking capabilities, including measuring heart rate, number of...

New York Suspends Nurse for HIPAA Violation Affecting 3K Patients

by Fred Donovan

The state of New York has suspended Martha Smith-Lightfoot, a former nurse at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), for a HIPAA violation. Smith-Lightfoot admitted to disclosing PHI when...

Did EMS Worker Commit HIPAA Violation With Facebook Post?

by Fred Donovan

Did an emergency medical services (EMS) worker in Roane County, Tennessee, commit a HIPAA violation with a Facebook post that described the peculiar location of an emergency response—a...

KS Healthcare Organization Fined over Unsecured Patient Data

by Elizabeth Snell

Topeka, Kansas-based Pearlie Mae’s Compassion and Care LLC recently agreed to pay an $8,750 civil penalty after allegations that it had unsecured patient data in one of its office...

Why Providers Need a Disaster Recovery Plan for EHR Security

by Elizabeth Snell

Whether healthcare providers are working to prepare for potential natural disasters like hurricanes or manmade cybersecurity issues (i.e., ransomware attacks, insider data breaches) having a disaster...

How HIPAA Rules Apply with Law Enforcement Investigations

by Elizabeth Snell

HIPAA rules are meant to protect patient information, but what happens when there is a law enforcement investigation? Are police officers allowed to demand PHI without a warrant? That issue was...

Medical Record Security Key Focus in Indiana Senate Bill

by Elizabeth Snell

Database owners are now required to ensure medical record security by safeguarding healthcare data stored in their systems, according to a recently updated Indiana bill. Senate Bill 549 changed the...

The Role of HIM Professionals in HIPAA Compliance

by Elizabeth Snell

Individuals in the health information management (HIM) field play a critical role in covered entities’ approaches to data security, especially HIPAA compliance. HIM professionals are often...

HIPAA Data Breaches: What Covered Entities Must Know

by Elizabeth Snell

As more healthcare organizations implement new technologies, connect to health information exchanges, and adopt electronic health record technology, they are potentially exposing themselves to more online threats and potential HIPAA data...

The Role of Nurses in HIPAA Compliance, Healthcare Security

by Kate Borten of The Marblehead Group

Nurses deal with private information all day every day, from nursing stations and offices to exam rooms to patient bedsides to operating rooms. However, due to their focus on a patient’s health...

How Do HIPAA Rules, Patient Privacy Apply in Emergencies?

by Elizabeth Snell

No healthcare organization wants to compromise patient privacy, and HIPAA rules were designed to ensure that this does not occur.   Covered entities of all sizes should understand how the HIPAA...

HHS Reviews HIPAA Regulations for Workplace Wellness Programs

by Jacqueline LaPointe

A recent Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) blog post by Jocelyn Samuels, the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, discusses how HIPAA regulations apply to wellness programs that are part...

What are Top HIPAA Compliance Concerns, Obstacles?

by Elizabeth Snell

Maintaining HIPAA compliance should always be a key area for leaders in the healthcare industry, but as technology continues to evolve, there are numerous factors coming into play that could affect how...

How Do HIPAA Regulations Affect Judicial Proceedings?

by Elizabeth Snell

HIPAA regulations are designed to keep healthcare organizations compliant, ensuring that sensitive data - such as patient PHI - stays secure. Should a healthcare data breach occur, covered entities or...

MedAllies receives accreditation from EHNAC, DirectTrust

by Nicole Freeman

MedAllies, a provider of Direct services, has received full accreditation from Direct Trusted Agent Accreditation Program (DTAAP) for Certificate Authority (CA), Registration Authority (RA), and Health...