Patient Confidentiality

HHS is working to craft an agreement to share public health information in the event of a pandemic between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

When it comes to understanding why we need HIPAA compliance, government regulators are on one side of a very wide river, and physicians are on the other.

Experts reveal common technology missteps that are putting practices at risk of HIPAA violations.

The best way to approach all medical records in relation to HIPAA and the HITECH Act is the same as you do with patients: use universal precautions.

Your practice may want to consider purchasing insurance to cover the costs of a potential HIPAA breach.

Sharing data can help streamline patient care. But many physicians are hesitant given the obstacles and potential consequences of losing this information in transit.

While clinicians love their iPads, Dell is betting they’ll also love the Latitude 10 tablet’s higher-level mobile security features.

The HIPAA final rule, released Jan. 17, 2013, includes new guidance regarding the transfer of medical records.

A look at some of the specific changes included in the HIPAA omnibus final rule that will impact your medical practice.

Here's guidance on how to avoid violating HIPAA when it comes to de-identification of protected health information.

Are you and your office staff up to date with the HIPAA privacy laws? After what I recently saw, you might want to have a refresher.

Every single day, an estimated 10,000 people in this country are turning 65. If you haven't made your practice senior-friendly, now is the time.

Got a patient who's abusing your staff, ignoring your advice, failing to pay his bill? When you realize it just isn't going to work, it's usually best to let the patient go. Here's how to do it correctly.

If you plan to close your practice, you must determine how to handle your medical records and who you'll select as a custodian.

Poor layout and cramped quarters can decrease efficiency and patient well-being - here are some simple, low-cost solutions.

The feds are cracking down on (even accidental) violations of data security rules. Here's how to avoid serious financial and administrative penalties.

Your system crashed and your data is gone. Now what?

Ask staff to sign this agreement, showing that they understand the need to protect patient confidentiality.

This document includes other necessary forms related to the Red Flags Rule, including an identity theft affidavit. Don’t forget to replace “Our Medical Group” with your practice name.

Is your practice “Red Flags” ready? Here are several forms to help you develop a policy to comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s Red Flags Rule, which requires creditors to implement programs to prevent and detect identity theft. Here you’ll find a document with a policy, board resolution, and contract addendum. Just replace “Our Medical Group” with the name of your practice, and you’re on your way.

Unfortunately, physicians are not immune to the growing threat of identity theft and data breaches. Check out our guide to keeping your personal information secure.

You may be unwittingly violating your patients’ confidentiality - and trust - on your blog or social media site. Check out these guidelines for staying legal and ethical online.

Here are a few tools and resources to get you started in understanding and complying with the FTC's new Red Flags identity theft rule.

If you’ve been putting off developing a compliance procedure for the new Red Flags Rule aimed at preventing identity theft, the time has come to act.

Whether a staff departure is amicable or not, it’s vital to formalize and document a process for removing an exiting employee’s IT access.