Recently, there has been some confusion on whether or not the utilization of personal health information (PHI) to contact patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to provide them with information about donating blood and plasma donations would be permitted under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The answer is yes, under certain circumstances. Healthcare providers are permitted to...
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance and clarity regarding disclosures of protected health information (PHI) during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. Under HIPAA law, a covered entity is allowed to disclose the protected health information (PHI) of an individual infected with, or exposed to, COVID-19,...
Medical practice social distancing has become a crucial aspect of healthcare management in response to public health guidelines. By implementing strategic measures to maintain physical distance between patients and healthcare staff, medical facilities can significantly reduce the risk of viral transmission while continuing to provide essential services. This approach involves reconfiguring waiting areas, scheduling appointments...
COVID-19 questions have prompted medical practices to critically evaluate and enhance their safety protocols to protect both staff and patients during the pandemic. Adhering to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical facilities are implementing comprehensive strategies to reduce the risk of virus transmission. This includes enforcing source control measures, ensuring...
Many private medical practices have re-opened since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and are adhering to the safety guidance set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), OSHA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In addition to these guidelines, below are some COVID-19 safety recommendations for medical practices providing patient care...
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have provided some helpful preparedness tips for medical offices and clinics to ensure their preparedness for COVID-19 and help protect your patients and healthcare workers. These best practices are critical to helping to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Before Patients Arrive Communicate with patients. Train and prepare your...
Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications during the COVID-19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency The following statement was sent out by OCR regarding Telehealth Remote Communications: We are empowering medical providers to serve patients wherever they are during this national public health emergency. We are especially concerned about reaching those most at risk, including...
A recent report from Proofpoint provides insights into the most common attacks faced by healthcare organizations. To help better understand the evolving cyberthreat landscape, the report analyzed a year of cyberattacks against healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and life sciences organizations, and health insurers between 2018-2019. One key trend noted throughout the report suggests that today’s cyberattacks...
On January 28, 2020, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a notice regarding legislative modifications made to the HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule of 2013. The announcement was about a final rule published by HHS on January 25, 2013, entitled “Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Enforcement Rules Under the Health Information Technology for...
In light of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing this bulletin to ensure that HIPAA covered entities and their business associates are aware of the ways that patient information may be shared under the HIPAA Privacy Rule in...
