Maybe they report breaches differently in New Zealand, because a lengthy report by Rachel Young of The Press never seems to mention the district health board or hospital involved: A nurse who snooped through multiple patient files has been fined $6000 for her ”serious abuse” of her role. Mrs L breached privacy by inappropriately accessing…
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Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network's easily avoidable breach
It’s a really simple concept that some people still have not grasped, even though they presumably received employee training on HIPAA and data protection: Do not take patient data with you that you intend to work on when you’re in public spaces. You may leave it behind.
Video: Do I have to give permission for my medical information to be in a Health Information Exchange?
From the incomparable World Privacy Forum: Do I have to give permission for my medical information to be in a Health Information Exchange? HIE stands for “Health Information Exchange.” A health care provider does not need your permission to share your medical information for treatment purposes within an HIE, just as a doctor does not need permission to…
When Doctors Have the Right to Speak: Room for Debate
The New York Times addresses an issue I’ve discussed here before: under what circumstances can the state limit doctors’ speech. While I’ve focused on Florida’s “Docs vs. Glocks” law, another law, passed in two states and upheld at the appellate level, prohibits licensed practitioners from offer conversion therapy to minors. Read the introduction to the…
Patient's Snooping Claim Amounts to Defamation
Jeff D. Gorman reports: A woman who wrongly accused a clinic employee of revealing her pregnancy in breach of medical confidentiality committed defamation, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled. Karen Greene complained that Beverly Tinker improperly gained access to Greene’s medical file at the Pilot Station Health Clinic in 2007. Though Tinker said she merely looked…
Snooping staff still top security issue
Erin McCann reports: When it comes to data breaches, hacking and loss or theft of unencrypted devices are far from healthcare security professionals’ only concerns. Employee snooping and insider misuse also prove to be among the biggest privacy threats in the healthcare sector today. Read more on HealthcareITNews, where Erin mentions some recent cases,…