Privacy and Security

As more providers are using digital data, privacy and security issues have become a greater concern. Protecting confidential patient information is also a priority for IT vendors, who are interested in offering solutions that come equipped with heightened security features. The industry-wide transition to HIPAA 5010 code set comes with heightened emphasis on privacy of patient data content in provider transactions, since 5010 aims to ensure that only the "minimum necessary" personal health information required for business purposes is included in a transaction.

RELATED STORIES:
Privacy hindering EHR progress, say researchers
HHS proposes new privacy, security rules

 
Healthcare lawyer probes HIPAA rule
The omnibus HIPAA Privacy and Security final rule released by HHS on Jan. 17 answered some questions, provided necessary guidance in certain areas -- but some of the thorniest issues, data breach notification among those, are still cryptic enough that lawyers and privacy officers will still face difficult judgment calls every time a laptop is lost or stolen.
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January 24, 2013
Tom Sullivan
News
Stanford reports fourth HIPAA breach
Some 57,000 patients seen at the Palo Alto, Calif.-based Lucile Packard Children's Hospital have been notified of a potential HIPAA-breach after an unencrypted company laptop containing patient medical information was stolen from a physician's car Jan. 9.
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January 23, 2013
Erin McCann
News
New era of health data security begins
The enhanced set of protections finalized in the omnibus HIPAA privacy and security rule released Jan.17 now becomes the new baseline for anyone who handles health information. It doesn't change meaningful use requirements, but combined, the two may drive more providers to protect patient data, according to privacy and security experts.
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January 22, 2013
Mary Mosquera
News
New HIPAA rule seen as tougher
The final rule is no longer about proving harm. Instead it places burden on covered entities to prove that improperly disclosed information has not been compromised.
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January 18, 2013
Tom Sullivan
Mary Mosquera
News
New HIPAA rule seen as tougher
The final rule is no longer about proving harm. Instead it places burden on covered entities to prove that improperly disclosed information has not been compromised.
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January 18, 2013
Tom Sullivan
Mary Mosquera
News
HHS makes 'sweeping' changes to HIPAA
The most eagerly awaited -- if not anxiety-laden -- set of regulations in the healthcare spectrum arrived late Thursday: HHS issued modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Enforcement and Breach Notification Rules. The man charged with enforcing the rules said they represent "sweeping changes."
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January 18, 2013
Tom Sullivan
News
3 ways to keep communications secure
Documents fly around like snowflakes in a storm. How do you keep them secure?
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January 16, 2013
Benjamin Harris
News
NIST to test data exchange security
The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence plans to test tools and technologies to support the secure exchange of electronic health information, especially for small healthcare providers.
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January 15, 2013
Mary Mosquera
News
Certification new focus of Connectathon
When the 2013 North American Connectathon kicks off in Chicago later this month, participants will have the opportunity to test their products under a new certification program that ensures their technology is secure and interoperable with other health IT solutions.
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January 14, 2013
Patty Enrado
News
3 best practices for internal security
When it comes to securing a hospital's IT, the focus is on keeping unwanted or unauthorized people out of the system. Strengthening a system to bar access to the wrong people while making it easy for the right ones to get in is always on IT managers' minds. But while protecting against outside elements is important, safeguarding your internal security is just as crucial.
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January 11, 2013
Benjamin Harris
News
Experts: mHealth poses privacy challenge
Despite the amazing potential of mobile healthcare, many concerns still remain over the issues of privacy and security.
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January 9, 2013
Diana Manos
News
Mass. medical groups pay $140,000 to settle HIPAA privacy suit
Former owners of a medical billing practice and four pathology groups in Massachusetts will collectively pay $140,000 to settle potential HIPAA allegations after medical records and confidential billing information for some 67,000 patients were improperly disposed of at a public dump, Mass. Attorney General Martha Coakley announced Jan. 7.
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January 9, 2013
Erin McCann
News
Securing Mobile Devices in the Business Environment
As employees bring their mobile devices to the workplace, while it may increase productivity and reduce cost, it also causes security weaknesses. Download this paper to learn more about mobile security device threats and how to establish a mobile security strategy.
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May 7, 2012
Resource Central
Resource
sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/ibm_securing_mobile_devices.pdf
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The Key Findings of the 2012 HIMSS Analytics Report: Security of Patient Data
On May 2, experts from Kroll Advisory Solutions and <a href="/directory/healthcare-information-and-management-systems-society-himss" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">HIMSS</a> Analytics analyzed the key findings of the 2012 HIMSS Analytics Report: Security of Patient Data, which suggests that 16 years after the enactment of the HIPAA – the first of many regulations governing data security in the healthcare industry – increased compliance has not resulted in increased security. In fact, healthcare data breaches have risen steadily, despite stringent regulatory activity and heightened compliance.
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May 4, 2012
Resource Central
Resource
Protect
https://himss.webex.com/himss/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=59005137&rKey=e8c611a1766ad5a1
Executing Best Practices for EMR Implementation
About 39% of medical offices in the U.S. have adopted <a href="/directory/electronic-medical-record-emr" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">EMR</a> technology, according to SK&A. With Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments now available to physician practices and hospitals who make <a href="/directory/meaningful-use" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">Meaningful Use</a> of such technology, that number is expected to rise over the next several years. But what about the practices who have not yet embarked on the journey toward EMR implementation? What’s holding them back? And where should they turn for help in managing the transition from paper-based records to electronic systems? Download this white paper to learn more about EMR implementation best practices.
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April 18, 2012
Resource Central
Resource
sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/ge_executing_best_practices.pdf
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Disruptive Innovation: The Key to Empowering Patients, Transforming the Healthcare System
The United States is undergoing a major transformation of its healthcare delivery system, driven by federal health IT investments and healthcare reforms. This content piece features information from a joint presentation at the HIMSS12 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas in February, where Eric Dishman, General Manager of Health Strategy and Solutions at Intel Corporation, and Jason Hwang, MD, executive director of healthcare at the Innosight Institute, presented on the power of “disruptive innovation” to meet the challenges of transforming the U.S. health sector. Download this paper to read examples of how disruption health IT innovation is driving new care models across the globe.
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March 29, 2012
Resource Central
Resource
sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/intel_disruptive_innovation.pdf
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Redefining Value and Success in Healthcare: Charting the Path to the Future
Across the healthcare industry, forward-thinking organizations are developing new competencies in anticipation of the opportunity that comes with industry-wide transformation. They are positioning themselves for success and defining the future of healthcare. Will your organization be ready to collaborate, coordinate and integrate? Watch this session now.
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March 13, 2012
Resource Central
Resource
Protect
https://events.unisfair.com/rt/ibm/log_thru.jsp?seid=30738&standaloneparam=txnMJJDz-akcSzOvg93i2u6VXKnKwq14Mv7ZtIeszVn3jrv4Ss6oFLF11_X1SSm5eO-ZT8uwU8jF294nw90KNzGEB3GDnoYyulnieT5QMNc
Security for healthcare information exchange
In my role as vice-Chair of the HIT Standards Committee, I join many of the subcommittee calls debating the standards and implementation guidance needed to support meaningful use. Over the past few months, I've learned a great deal from the Privacy and Security Working group.
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September 15, 2009
John Halamka
Blog
HITSP's next priorities
Today I led a HITSP Board meeting and we discussed the work being done in collaboration with the HIT Standards Committee.
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September 9, 2009
John Halamka
Blog
An EHR Without Appropriate Technical Infrastructure = Patient Risk
An often times overlooked aspect to implementing an electronic health record (EHR) is the need for a solid technical infrastructure.
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August 11, 2009
Edgar D. Staren, MD
Chad A. Eckes
Blog
An EHR Without Appropriate Technical Infrastructure = Patient Risk
An often times overlooked aspect to implementing an electronic health record (EHR) is the need for a solid technical infrastructure.
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August 11, 2009
Edgar D. Staren, MD
Chad A. Eckes
Blog
Finally, A Reasonable Plan for Certification of EHR Technologies
A caution to readers: This post is about methods for certifying Electronic Health Record (EHR) technologies used by physicians, medical practices, and hospitals who hope to qualify for federal incentive payments under the so-called HITECH portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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August 4, 2009
David Kibbe
Brian Klepper
Blog
Finally, A Reasonable Plan for Certification of EHR Technologies
A caution to readers: This post is about methods for certifying Electronic Health Record (EHR) technologies used by physicians, medical practices, and hospitals who hope to qualify for federal incentive payments under the so-called HITECH portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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August 4, 2009
David Kibbe
Brian Klepper
Blog
Next steps for the HIT Standards Committee
At the July 21 meeting of the HIT Standards, we approved an initial set of standards for quality, clinical operations and security/privacy. Here's an update on the deliberations of the workgroups.
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July 31, 2009
John Halamka
Blog
PHR Evolution
I participated in a personal health record (PHR) workshop yesterday hosted by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT). CDT's goal was to gain input from a wide array of stakeholders (an impressive collection of about 40 health care leaders with different types of expertise in PHRs) to help inform CDT's recommendations to federal agencies - HHS and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - and try to build some degree of consensus among key stakeholders.
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May 20, 2009
Josh Seidman
Blog
The impact of privacy provisions in ARRA
I was recently asked to comment about the resources needed to comply with the Privacy Provisions in the Stimulus Bill.
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April 1, 2009
John Halamka
Blog
EHR privacy breaches
There's been a lot of talk about privacy protections, or lack thereof, in electronic health records, particularly in context of the economic stimulus proposal that includes $20 billion for health IT.
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February 13, 2009
Neil Versel
Blog
A Question For You Privacy Wonks Out There
When I read a headline like "Privacy advocates hail stimulus bills," I immediately wonder which privacy advocates.
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February 5, 2009
Matthew Holt
Blog
A Transparent Health Record
Transparency, in the form of a complete, patient-centered and accessible health record is a policy principle that can drive the next wave of health care innovation. Investing exclusively in institutional EHRs will further stifle efficiency, innovation and improvement.
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January 29, 2009
Adrian Gropper, MD
Blog