HIPAA

in order to be HIPAA Compliant, you must maintain a "Culture of Compliance" at your office. This can include keeping your software up-to-date, regular required training and addressing risks that pose to your office. This month we address Updating to Windows 10 20H2, Getting cell phones off your office WiFi and Understanding your backups

Microsoft has released it’s March security Patch which includes fixes for:

When you have a Business Associate Agreement in place you always can send a letter terminating the relationship. When you send that letter, you should instruct the Business Associate to delete all your patient data, and if that is not feasible that hey are responsible to protect that data under the HIPAA regulations. It is always best to have an attorney review the letter prior to sending it.

Just a few days ago Cybernews reported the largest compilation of emails and passwords were leaked on a public forum.

in order to be HIPAA Compliant, you must maintain a "Culture of Compliance" at your office. This can include keeping your software up-to-date, regular required training and addressing risks that pose to your office. This month we address Phishing Emails, Battery Backups and Proper Disposal of Copiers/Printers/Fax Machines

Amidst all of the other events in Washington DC in January, a law was passed that amended the HIPAA Regulations. . The amendment requires the department of Health and Human Services to take certain items into account during a HIPAA investigation. The text of the bill reads as follows:

It is important to realize that many of the devices in your office may contain patient information, even after you are no longer using the devices. Information can be stored in hard drives and memory that is on circuit boards and if the information finds it way into the wrong hands you have a HIPAA Violation.

The Right of Access Rule gives patients and their representatives the right to access, inspect and obtain a copy of their own health information. When a provider receives a request for access to their medical records, they must provide the requested information within 30 days (Some states require a faster response 30 days is the HIPAA requirement).

Last week we published an article that Prestera Health was breached due to a vulnerability in their email system. This Week Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend, WA experienced a breach related to their email system.

Prestera Health, the largest behavioral health services provider in West Virginia, serving the counties of Boone, Cabell, Clay, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Putnam and Wayne in West Virginia experienced a data breach through their email system.