Security issues loom as transition continues
Date: Feb 03, 2012 This blog is largely focused on the nuts and bolts of the health IT transition.
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Standards institute offers HIPAA assistance
Date: Dec 01, 2011 Among the myriad questions providers encounter as they move to EHRs is how best to protect the privacy and security of their patients’ health information.
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High-resolution scanner integrates with EHR systems
Date: Oct 28, 2011 DYMO Labeling has applied its technology to the healthcare market with this week’s launch of a high-resolution scanner designed to streamline workflow and help facilities meet HIPAA Privacy Rule guidelines for EHRs. The new scanner captures color images and patient information from driver’s licenses and insurance cards, and then stores it within a practice’s digital records. DYMO noted that the device eliminates the need to make unsecured photocopies of such ID cards.
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MGMA calls for HIPAA 5010 contingency plan to avoid physician practice cash flow disruption
Date: Oct 25, 2011 LAS VEGAS – According to research released by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) during the organization’s annual conference this week in Las Vegas, many physician practices and their trading partners have not yet coordinated the transition to HIPAA Version 5010 electronic transaction standards. MGMA called on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to issue a contingency plan permitting health plans to adjudicate claims that may not have all the required data content.
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HIPAA vs. the Cloud
Date: Jul 29, 2011 Guest commentary
Since you are involved in healthcare IT, you know all about HIPAA and the responsibility it puts on the organization to protect patient information. In the early days of HIPAA regulations, there were only general guidelines and required outcomes to help direct IT departments in reaching compliance. The fact that most organizations maintained a “closed” system -- meaning they had their own data center with very little data being exposed outside of the organization -- made compliance relatively simple. Our biggest worry was the tape media being rotated out to our favorite offsite storage facility.
Read » Lessons learned from theft of HHC electronic patient records
Date: Feb 17, 2011 The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation's (HHC) revelation that electronic protected health information (PHI) of nearly 1.7 million people was stolen brings up a troubling aspect of the privacy and security of EHRs. Your organization can have sophisticated, thorough technology, processes and policies in place, but all it takes is one act of negligence by a business partner and you’re stuck with a big mess to clean up.
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Need spawns innovation
Date: Feb 08, 2011 We've heard a lot of talk from federal officials involved in the government programs to drive health IT adoption that government wants to be the convener, bringing together different stakeholders to innovate.
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Surgeon General understands value of EHRs
Date: Sep 30, 2010 If ever there was a compelling story in favor of EHR adoption, Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin told it at the 82nd annual AHIMA convention and exhibition.
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Peel supports HHS' new patient privacy policy
Date: Jul 13, 2010 The most well-known patient privacy advocate voiced her support for the Dept. of Health and Human Services' new patient privacy policy.
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Dealing with the Human side of privacy violations inside and outside a healthcare organization
Date: May 12, 2010 With electronic patient records, the potential for privacy violations expands a thousand-fold. First, data can be accessed anywhere, not just on the physical premises. As a result, remote access makes snooping employees bolder.
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