It’s now been a full year since the new breach reporting requirements went into effect for HIPAA-covered entities. Although I’ve regularly updated this blog with new incidents revealed on HHS’s web site, it might be useful to look at some statistics for the first year’s worth of reports. During this period, 166 breaches each…
Search Results for: HCA
Nurse reprimanded over Facebook photo that didn't involve patients
Sandra Yin reports: Managers at Genesys Regional Medical Center reprimanded a nurse for unprofessional behavior, based on a photo that ended up on Facebook, the Flint Journal reports. The photo, which was taken in the early spring showed another nurse removing a splinter from Cathy Miller in an otherwise empty operating room at the hospital based…
PHR Privacy Report a Work in Progress
Howard Anderson writes: Federal officials are still months away from submitting an overdue report to Congress on privacy and security requirements for personal health records vendors, which are not covered by HIPAA. Section 13421 of the HITECH Act called for the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a report by last February on the…
ONC studying risks of de-identified patient records
Mary Mosquera reports on a privacy issue that I’ve discussed a number of times: that use of allegedly “de-identified” patient information risks re-identification and all that goes with it. The Office of the National Coordinator has begun a study on how to overcome the privacy and security risks of using health information that otherwise has…
Social Networks For Patients Stir Privacy, Security Worries
Kelly Jackson Higgins writes: Social networking is infiltrating healthcare with platforms for patients to share intimate details of their diagnoses, medications, physical conditions, locations, and other personal data — and not necessarily anonymously. Members of emerging sites, such as PatientsLikeMe, DailyStrength, andHealthyPlace, for example, can post profiles similar to those on Facebook, and many users are posting…
Update on Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center breach allegations
Last week I posted links to a controversy as to whether Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Arkansas had actually experienced a privacy breach or not. The story just gets weirder and weirder. The medical center released the following press release, available on FierceHealthcare, but not, apparently on their web site or on the site…