The role of privacy officer has changed since it was mandated in 2003 by HIPAA. New regulations, technology and data-sharing initiatives have reshaped the landscape, according to Chris Dimick, staff writer for
Journal of AHIMA, who outlined the new role of the privacy officer in the April edition.
Nearly three years after the HITECH Act was passed, the Office for Civil Rights has sent the final HIPAA Omnibus Rule to the Office of Management and Budget for review, one of the last steps rqeuired before it can be published in the Federal Register.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST) has agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services $1.5 million to settle potential violations of the HIPAA privacy and security rules.
EMRs in the clouds promise to reduce operational costs and maximize quality improvement initiatives. But, is the technology ready for prime time?
Although a proposed policy that would provide patients with the right to request and receive their test results directly from laboratories could empower them and reduce physicians’ workloads, it’s unclear what the specific effects of such a policy would be, according to Hardeep Singh, MD, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, in a recently published Journal of the American Medical Association commentary.
This month, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will commence performing HIPAA audits for a new pilot that will use the audit program to assess HIPAA compliance efforts by a range of covered entities.
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) recently commented on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’ notice of propose-rulemaking (NPRM) regarding HIPAA Privacy Rule accounting of disclosures. The disparate organizations had very different opinions on the subject.
The University of California at Los Angeles Health System (UCLAHS) has agreed to settle potential violations of HIPAA privacy and security rules for $865,500 following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). UCLAHS must also implement a corrective action plan aimed at remedying gaps in its compliance with the rules.
ID Experts has developed a free toolkit and checklist that can help healthcare organizations prepare for and respond to an Office for Civil Rights (OCR) data breach investigation.
