If you or someone on your staff opens one of these diabolic — yet seemingly innocent — email attachments, they can infect the office’s computers and make running your practice “hella” difficult until they’re fixed. Email attachments are a common source of viruses and worms. When opened, they can give hackers control of your computer, […]
Beware of the Email Attachments from Hell Read More »
My wife, Susan, views computers much the same way she views garage-door openers. She’ll be the first to say that the only thing she really cares to know about either is that when she clicks a certain button, things will work as they have and as they should. I suspect she isn’t alone in feeling
4 Proven Ways to Ward Off Computer Viruses Read More »
Free Tools to Help with the HIPAA Risk Analysis Read More »
I’m going to talk a little bit today about audit trails — sometimes called “audit logs” — and the vital role they can play in your ongoing efforts to keep Protected Health Information (PHI) safe, your workforce honest, and hackers at bay. What is an audit trail? According to Fundamentals of Law for Health Informatics
Healthcare Providers: Why a Computer’s Audit Trail Is Important Read More »
A HIPAA blog just for the holidays. What if Mr. Claus was injured in a run-in with a reindeer and a nurse in the hospital leaked the news?
Santa Claus and HIPAA Compliance Read More »
Before the HIPAA Omnibus Rule went into effect last year, the standard for determining whether or not patients needed to be notified in the event of a breach of Protected Health Information (PHI) was pretty subjective. If, for instance, a computer with PHI of 3000+ patients was stolen from a small practice, it was the
The Newest Standard for Notifying Patients of a PHI Breach Read More »
In a previous blog I talked about the importance of email security in today’s healthcare practices. I focused mainly on the advantages of using secure HIPAA compliant email in communications with patients, and how that kind of communication can earn a doctor or dentist a high rating on social media and, quite possibly, a better
The Truth about HIPAA Compliant Email Read More »
The answer to that question is more complicated than a simple yes or no. “It depends,” says it best. The reason lies in the law itself. The lawmakers who crafted the HIPAA legislation went to great lengths, it seems to me, to make the mandate non-prescriptive. HIPAA compliance doesn’t expressly require the use or avoidance
Is Texting PHI (Protected Health Information) Allowed by HIPAA? Read More »
For healthcare providers who’ve been putting off doing a risk assessment and developing a mitigation plan, Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, could make a compelling case against that kind of procrastination. If ten years earlier GM had identified the ignition switch in last year’s headlines as a potentially deadly defect and taken steps
HIPAA Risk Assessment: Lessons from General Motors Read More »
Eavesdrop on a conversation about HIPAA compliance and most likely you’ll hear the words “privacy” and “security” — sometimes separately, often together, and usually in the context of safeguarding patient information. “So, what exactly is the difference between ‘privacy’ and ‘security’ in relation to HIPAA compliance?” you ask. With today’s HIPAA Quick Tip I’ll try
HIPAA Privacy Rule. HIPAA Security Rule. What’s the Difference? Read More »
