Accidental Disclosure of PHI
Even when a covered entity or business associate maintains an effective HIPAA compliance program, there are still instances where unintentional HIPAA violations occur. These violations can take [...]
Hospital Data Breaches and Patient Deaths
Researchers for the journal Health Services Research recently conducted a study to determine whether there is a relationship between hospital data breaches and patient deaths. Of particular interest was [...]
HIPAA Genetic Information
Before passage of the 2013 HIPAA Omnibus Rule, genetic information was not specifically included in the HIPAA regulations’ definition of protected health information (PHI). With passage [...]
HIPAA Requirements for Sending PHI
Healthcare entities require a means to easily share protected health information (PHI). When sending PHI it is imperative to keep HIPAA requirements in mind. The Health [...]
What is a Unique Patient Identifier?
When HIPAA was enacted in 1996, the law called for development of a unique patient identifier (sometimes referred to as a “national patient identifier”). In 1999, Congress passed legislation [...]
HIPAA Business Email Compromise
A cyberthreat known as business email compromise has caused businesses, religious institutions, educational institutions, non-profits, and other companies, to lose billions of dollars since the FBI first began tracking [...]
Is a Covered Entity’s Sale of PHI Permitted Under HIPAA?
Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, sale of PHI is generally prohibited. What Constitutes a Sale of PHI? Generally, under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, covered entities and [...]
Patient PHI Discovered to be Freely Accessible
WizCase is a company that has years of experience testing and evaluating cybersecurity tools and products. Recently, WizCase researchers discovered significant database leaks from a number of websites around [...]
Congress Introduces the Smartwatch Data Act
Congress recently introduced the Stop Marketing and Revealing the Wearables and Trackers Consumer Health Data Act, nicknamed the Smartwatch Data Act. The legislation, introduced by Democratic [...]
What Role Does Law Enforcement Play in HIPAA?
The battle between individuals’ privacy rights and the needs of law enforcement, has raged for centuries in one form or another. When the HIPAA Privacy Rule was [...]
