Healthcare data breaches have been occurring at record levels, but not all privacy and security threats come from outside the organization. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HCC) recently issued a warning about insider threats. What is an insider threat? According to a recent data breach report from Verizon,...
The OCR HIPAA investigation process plays a crucial role in enforcing compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, particularly concerning cybersecurity within HIPAA-regulated entities. When potential violations related to the security of patient information occur, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) steps in to investigate and ensure that healthcare organizations adhere to the...
What is a HIPAA Consent Form? A signed HIPAA consent form must be obtained from a patient before their protected health information (PHI) can be shared with any other individuals or organizations, except in the case of routine disclosures for treatment, payment or healthcare operations as permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The disclosure of...
This is a reminder that the HIPAA Breach Reporting 2022 deadline is less than two weeks away, which means HIPAA breaches involving fewer than 500 individuals which occurred during 2021 must be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) no later than Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule...
Most healthcare providers make every effort to ensure that HIPAA rules are followed, but sometimes accidents occur. What happens when there is an accidental HIPAA violation? How should an employee report an accidental HIPAA violation? Any HIPAA violation must be treated seriously. Whether a healthcare employee accidentally sent a fax containing PHI to the wrong...
Understanding OSHA record keeping and requirements is essential for maintaining a safe and compliant workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that employers keep thorough records of workplace injuries and illnesses to help monitor safety, identify trends, and prevent future incidents. This documentation is not only a regulatory requirement but also a critical...
The 2022 HIPAA Breach reporting deadline is less than a month away. Which means any breaches involving 500 individuals or less must be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) no later than Monday, March 1, 2022. What is a Data Breach? A data breach is considered the impermissible use or...
As we turn the page on 2021 and embark on 2022, many are hopeful that this year we will finally return to normalcy. But as Omicron surges across the nation at record breaking-rates, Americans have become tired and weary of what has seemed like a never-ending pandemic. Government officials, hospitals, physicians, healthcare workers and employers...
On June 10, 2021, OSHA (the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration) released the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). This establishes new mandatory requirements, applicable to the healthcare industry. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, presents “a grave danger” to workers in healthcare settings according to OSHA. Since people with COVID-19 are...
National Patient Safety Week is March 14-20. This week is dedicated to growing awareness about patient safety, learning more about healthcare safety, and recognizing the work already being achieved. While much progress has been made in patient safety over the past couple of decades, estimates suggest that medical harm is still a leading cause of...
