02/01/2012
A report by IT security firm Redspin finds that reported U.S. health data breaches increased by 97% from 2010 to 2011. Of the 385 reported breaches analyzed, researchers note that 60% stemmed from malicious attacks such as hacking and theft. Healthcare IT News.
01/30/2012
Six current and former FDA scientists and physicians have filed a lawsuit alleging that FDA monitored their personal emails after they informed congressional staffers that the agency approved medical devices that might pose risks to patients. FDA's computer system warns its employees that they should not expect their communications to be private. Washington Post.
01/27/2012
A new Bipartisan Policy Center report states that although health care providers are adopting electronic health records, certain obstacles are obstructing wider health IT use. According to the report, some of the barriers to health IT use include a lack of interoperability between systems and consumer concerns about EHR accuracy, privacy and security. AP/Boston Globe et al.
01/26/2012
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and the HHS Office for Civil Rights are rolling out a project to develop best practices for mobile device use in health care settings. The initiative will build on existing HIPAA rules and will focus on privacy and security best practices. Results will be shared with industry stakeholders. Government Health IT et al.
01/25/2012
The Department of Veterans Affairs says that no personal health information was exposed when the agency erroneously posted data to the genealogy website Ancestry.com. VA provided data following a Freedom of Information Act request. Modern Healthcare.
01/20/2012
A new ECRI Institute report touts social media opportunities for health care organizations while emphasizing the importance of strategy and risk management. The researchers recommend that organizations create plans to ensure compliance with privacy rules. CMIO et al.
01/17/2012
Small medical practices are more susceptible to health data breaches than large organizations because they tend to use older technology and overlook basic security protections, according to Kroll Fraud Solutions' cybersecurity trends report. American Medical News.
01/13/2012
The Health Information Trust Alliance has released an updated version of its Common Security Framework, adding 12 new security measures and removing one. HITRUST said the changes reflect trends in data privacy and security threats facing the health care industry. Modern Healthcare.
01/11/2012
In an interview with HealthLeaders Media, National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari discussed the challenges that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT will face in 2012, as well as efforts to protect the privacy of patient data. HealthLeaders Media.
01/11/2012
Many physicians are taking steps to protect their reputations online amid the prevalence of websites that allow patients to post negative reviews. Some doctors are soliciting positive feedback from patients and hiring online reputation companies. Philadelphia Inquirer.
12/21/2011
Attorneys have filed a class-action lawsuit against University of California-Los Angeles Health System over a security breach that exposed data on 16,288 patients. The suit is seeking as much as $16 million in damages. Modern Healthcare.
12/20/2011
A new KLAS report finds that many office-based physicians are not preparing for the transition to HIPAA 5010 transaction sets. More than half of those who responded to the KLAS survey said they are relying on their claims clearinghouses to handle the change. Modern Healthcare.
12/20/2011
A new Annals of Internal Medicine study finds that most patients were enthusiastic about the launch of a system that would allow them to access their physician's notes. According to another study in the same journal, most patients who use the Department of Veterans Affairs' personal health record tool want the ability to share that data with at least one other person. Reuters at al.
12/20/2011
A report by Privacy Rights Clearinghouse lists the six "most significant" data breaches of this year. Three of the top breaches took place at health care organizations and involved a total of nearly 11 million patient medical records. Modern Healthcare, Healthcare IT News.
12/19/2011
The rise in electronic health record use raises concerns that medical data breaches also might increase. The legal responsibility for such breaches is a concern for health care providers and entities that work with patient data. New York Times, Boston Globe's "White Coat Notes."