Should cell phones and other personal devices be used for work communications in a medical practice? According to one expert, these devices are a liability to rheumatologists and other providers, who should develop and enforce strict guidelines in their practices…
(Reuters Health)—Technology makes it possible for patients to access medical records online, but a thicket of legal issues may still keep people from always seeing everything in their chart, some doctors say. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) gives U.S. patients the right to access their medical records and control who else has…
Over the years, cell phones have evolved from purse-size behemoths to the size of a wristwatch. In addition, they have moved from basically a portable telephone to the smartphones of today. Both the changes in size and the added functions have resulted in new concerns for physicians. “We had a family meeting about two years…
Maintain compliance with updated federal rules governing privacy protection for patient health information
Focus shifts from voluntary to punitive; makes business associates more accountable for breaches of personal health information
Business associate agreements under pressure to meet new, expanded HIPAA standards by September 23
Learn how to de-identify patient information before sharing it over social media or by other means
Maintaining the privacy of healthcare data Is paramount, and a breach can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars
Failure to have an updated Notice of Privacy Practices by September 23, 2013 could result in fines and penalties
Physicians’ business associates can now face civil and criminal penalties for violating HIPAA laws guarding the confidentiality of protected health information