Tragically, the tornado that recently hit Joplin, Missouri took lives as well as destroying most of the city. As the state and the medical community scrambled to respond to the tragedy and to provide care, the country has watched, prayed, and tried to support and help those who have been affected. But in the aftermath…
Sony Will Testify on PlayStation Hack; Hirai Letter Answers Questions
Mark Hachman reports: Sony will testify at a House privacy hearing on June 2, after earlier refusing to appear. In a letter to lawmakers, Sony also provided more details about the attacks. An aide for Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, said…
NY man pleads guilty to skimming Valley National Bank customer data
A Bulgarian native and Queens, N.Y., resident admitted to a scheme to steal account information from bank customers by installing secret recording devices on ATMs in Nutley and Belleville, N.J., U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Georgi Nikiforov, 25, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with one count of conspiracy…
HHS issues new HIPAA accounting of disclosures rule
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a proposed rule implementing changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s standard for accounting of disclosures of protected health information. This proposed rule addresses the changes required by the HITECH Act, which requires HIPAA covered entities and business associates to account for disclosures of protected health…
Loyola University Medical Center patients’ information compromised after car break-in
Tom Negovan reports: He raves about the medical care he’s received at Loyola University Medical Center, but a heart transplant patient says he can’t believe the hospital allowed his personal information to be compromised. Worse still, 63-year-old Vincent Cherry says, administrators are doing nothing to help. He was notified earlier this month that a Loyola…
SC: Hospital Worried About Data Breach After Laptop Was Stolen
Tripp Messick reports: Someone stole a laptop from Spartanburg Regional. Mark Aycock, the executive vice president, said the laptop had a password-protected file with Social Security numbers, as well as names, addresses, dates of birth and medical billing codes. Aycock says the laptop was taken out of an employer’s car on March 28th. Hospital officials…