Beth Walsh writes: A House Democrat seeks a hearing to investigate the recent data breach at Community Health Ssytems which impacted 4.5 million patients. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who is the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wrote to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chair Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) asking…
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Phoenix VA official may have broken privacy law
Rebekah L. Sanders reports: The Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating whether a top employee in Phoenix violated patient-privacy law when he sent an e-mail to staffers about a veteran’s suicide highlighted in a political ad by U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz. Glenn Costie, acting director of the Phoenix VA Healthcare System, sent the e-mail…
Singapore health bodies have qualified right to use personal data in health research projects without consent
From Out-Law.com: Medical research using identifiable patient data can be carried out in Singapore without individuals’ consent in certain circumstances, the country’s data protection watchdog has confirmed. The Personal Data Protection Commission has published new guidance on how Singapore’s data protection laws apply in the health sector (29-page / 144KB PDF). The guidance contains an example which…
A few more recent additions to HHS's breach tool
The following incidents were all added this past week to HHS’s public breach tool. Unfortunately, I can find no notices or documentation online to explain them: Specialty Clinics Of Georgia – Orthopaedics reported that 2,350 patients were affected by a breach on June 26, 2014 involving “Theft, Paper.” St John’s Episcopal Hospital in New York…
Online service helps users learn and share their STD-status
Daniel Gaitan reports: People being tested for sexually transmitted diseases can now use their computers or iPhones to quickly get the results, and experts hope this easy access will make them more likely to honestly share their STD status with their partners. The new service, called Healthvana, allows patients access to their lab results once…
Update: Duke University Health System breach
Just a small update: According to its submission to HHS, the stolen thumb drive contained PHI on 10,993 patients. Ouch.