Just a pointer: Over on PogoWasRight.org, I’ve posted a commentary on what new breach data out of California’s health care sector might predict for when the HITECH Act goes into effect nationally.
Category: Health Data
CVS, Walgreens settle with Indiana AG
Settlements have been reached between the Indiana Attorney General’s office and two pharmacy chains – CVS and Walgreens – to resolve data-breach complaints that customers’ medical information was improperly discarded in trash bins outside pharmacy stores. The agreement comes as the Attorney General begins a new concerted effort geared to address the growing problem of…
UK: Harpenden surgery accused of breaching patient confidentiality
It is hard for me to believe that this even makes the news anywhere. Not that the person isn’t right to be concerned if the allegations are true, but it’s just that it seems so darned common as to no longer be newsworthy. Then again, maybe if such incidents did result in bad press and…
UK: 8,000 breaches due to viruses in a 1-year period
Incidents such as the report out of Alberta Health Services in Canada and this report, below, from the UK, should serve as a reminder as to how much risk attaches to networking data and having it accessible online — either intentionally or unintentionally: More than 8,000 computer viruses have infected NHS computers over the last…
Medical records found in Salt Lake dumpster
KUTV reports that about 20 boxes of medical records were found in a dumpster. The files contained names, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, canceled checks, routing numbers, and medical information. KUTV reports: At least some of the records appeared to come from Mountain Medical Center, a chiropractic office that had been in the Murray…
Reports Pour in under California's New Privacy Laws
Reports of health record breach violations have been pouring into the California Department of Public Health since the state began requiring healthcare entities to report all incidents of unauthorized record access. More than 800 reports have been filed since the law took effect January 1, according to Kathleen Billingsley, RN, deputy director of the California…