The results of the 115 HIPAA compliance audits conducted as part of the pilot project last year are being evaluated, said Susan Mc Andrew of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights, and the HIPAA compliance audit program will not resume until after the current fiscal year ends. The evaluation is…
With the release of Omnibus HIPAA privacy and security rule on January 17th this year, the health information security landscape is set to experience some major changes. Healthcare entities are facing the immediate need to conduct risk assessments and testing to meet HIPAA compliance requirements. While more audits and increased penalties for non-compliance are likely,…
The HIPAA Omnibus rule has made significant impact on the healthcare industry. It has created a complex chain of compliance liability for covered entities, their business associates and subcontractors, who are all now equally accountable for the protection of private health information, and responsible for the compliance conduct of their ‘downstream’ partners under certain circumstances,…
With great power also comes great responsibility. And this is especially true for healthcare entities that employ the power of information to provide better services. Patient Health Information, like any other information is a valuable asset for healthcare organizations. However, organizations that handle and process health information are also expected to protect it. This is…
With the HIPAA Privacy and Security final rule released on January 17th also comes some significant changes that are likely to impact the healthcare industry. While this final rule, to a large extent tracks what was in the proposed rule, certain changes are expected to catch the attention of healthcare providers in the country, according…
Regardless of size, covered entities need to take action and will be held accountable for safeguarding their patients’ health information. This is a fact that the non-profit Hospice of North Idaho learnt the hard way. In the first of its kind, a federal investigation of a health information breach, that affected fewer than 500 individuals…
It was Alaska DHSS first, and now the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary suffering a big consequence for a relatively small breach. The organization has agreed to pay a hefty penalty of $1.5 million for HIPAA violations identified during OCR’s investigation of the theft of an unencrypted laptop which occurred in 2010. This Boston-based teaching…
The provisions of the two final rules of Stage 2 of Meaningful Use released last week have attracted significant attention, especially the rule demanding retention of patient engagement obligations. However, what is more striking is how these two final rules are intertwined with the privacy and security requirements of HIPAA, although many commenters on the…
Have you attested to ‘meaningful use’ of EHR? If so, here’s some important news for you: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have hired a New York based accounting firm, Figliozzi & Company to carry out audits to determine compliance with ‘meaningful use’. Hospitals and physician practices which have qualified for Medicare EHR…
In an interview with Howard Anderson from HealthcareInfoSecurity, Leon Rodriguez, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR) outlined the HIPAA audit plans for the this year and next. He said that the number of completed HIPAA audits this year will be lesser than the originally planned 150, and…
