Someone called my practice and said I have to fill out their checklist for HIPAA each year. Is this true or is it HIPAA scare tactics? Not Really. You do have to perform a “Risk Analysis” (RA) checklist of all the ways you store, input and transmit protected health information (PHI). This must be done […]
When can you share protected health information with law enforcement? There are certain circumstances when you can share PHI with the law. You should always keep the “minimum necessary” rule in mind whenever you are giving out information. Coroners/Medical Examiners Information needed to identify a body or determine cause of death can be sent to […]
Goes from Paper to Mobile in Less than 90 Days with an Automated Auditing Process Total Medical Compliance (TMC) provides compliance consulting to the healthcare marketplace including HIPAA training, OSHA training, and Infection Control programs for medical and dental practices. When TMC needed a partner to upgrade its paper-based auditing processes and provide an […]
Rock a bye Texas and the Sunshine State When the wind blows the houses fall down When the rains fall water fills the town Residents flee without cradle or crate While Americans can agree that HIPPA rules designed to protect their privacy in the healthcare system are a great idea, the regulations can, at times, […]
Everything you wanted to know about the OCR Cloud Computing Guidance but were afraid to ask What exactly is the cloud? The cloud is a network of servers used to share resources, software, and information via a network. Each server has a different function. Some servers run applications and some deliver a service. The information […]
No one can deny that technology has been a boon to the healthcare sector enabling better care for patients and convenience for providers. Smart devices of all types connect with medical record and billing systems and various applications through cloud computing. Unfortunately, all this interconnectedness has created opportunities for hacking and other illegal activity. […]
The Phase II Audits from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) are right around the corner! The program, announced by Health & Human Services (HHS) in 2016, was created to take a “snapshot” of HIPAA compliance in the healthcare industry. HHS wants to know how well the guidelines are understood by covered entities and where […]
In May, Great Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) was hit by a large-scale cyber-attack. Some hospitals and practices across England and Scotland were unable to access patient data, after their computers were locked by a ransomware attack demanding payment in virtual currency, Bitcoin. However, there was no evidence that patient data had been compromised. The […]
When you have a breach of Protected Health Information (PHI) the practice will have to notify the affected patients, Health and Human Services (HHS) and potentially other parties. The timing is critical. This month we will review notification requirements. Patient Notification You must provide notice to each affected patient in written form by first-class mail, […]
The very sad truth is the world is full of criminals and you have something they want: information and materials. You may have all technical safeguards in place to protect yourself from computer hackers and break-ins; however, what are you doing about the stream of people who walk in your office for business purposes? One […]
