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The number of healthcare facilities that reported a breach in security that requires notification increased 6 percent from 13 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2010, according to the 2010 HIMSS Analytics report on the security of patient data, commissioned by Kroll Fraud Solutions. “The positive impact…is that there is a growing level of…

Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes has called on the Health Service Executive to make improving the security of its systems for transferring patient data a top priority. Click here to read the full report In his annual report for 2009, Mr Hawkes also expressed concern at, what he called, ‘the reluctance of some State bodies…

Angela Hall reports: REGINA — Local health foundations will soon be able to contact former hospital patients for fundraising purposes. A recent amendment to health privacy regulations, slated to take effect in May, will allow the names and addresses of people who received hospital services to be shared with the hospital foundation in that health…

David Navetta writes: The state of Virginia has passed a breach notice law requiring notice of security breaches involving medical information. […] “Breach of the security of the system” means unauthorized access and acquisition of unencrypted and unredacted computerized data that compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of medical information maintained by an individual or…

Fred Trotter writes: I have long been an advocate of reasonable and measured reaction to “privacy scare tactics”. I have argued, for instance, that it was a good thing that HIPAA does not cover PHR systems. But that does not mean that I do not think privacy is important. In fact there has been something…

Interesting piece in the Statesman Journal about how mandatory screening of babies has led to some ethical debate about the use of the blood spots for broader research purposes.