Medical identity theft continues to be major problem in the US with approximately 2.32 million adults or close family members falling victim in 2014. According to the Fifth Annual Study on Medical Identity Theft by the Ponemon Institute, medical identity theft is on the rise with a 21.7% increase since last year.
As part of HITECH, any breach of over 500 individuals will be posted on “The Wall of Shame” on the HHS website. It is important for covered entities to be aware of the necessary steps to avoid joining this list and to become familiar with the HITECH Breach Notification Protocol in the case of a
The OCR reports 54 data breach incidents affecting more than 500 people in first six months of 2014. About half are related to theft, most commonly involving laptops, desktop computers and other portable electronic devices. Compared to 2013, the percentage of breaches related to theft has increased (Redspin 2013 Breach Report). Theft is responsible for
Looking back at past audits by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is the best place to start. The OCR enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule, Security Rule, Breach Notification Rule and the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety Rule. The Office of Civil Rights’ “Lessons Learned from OCR Privacy and Security Audits” revealed the most
