The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces proposed changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to support individuals’ engagement in their care, remove barriers to coordinated care, and reduce regulatory burdens on the health care industry.
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By Matt Fisher – Who can be on a healthcare organization’s system and who can access patient information? HIPAA establishes very clear guidelines and expectations on that front.
By Matt Fisher – While many areas of HIPAA compliance result in confusion and misinterpretation, responding to document requests from parties in litigation is one that has been presenting itself frequently.
By Matt Fisher – An easy to overlook aspect of the HIPAA Privacy Rule is the requirement that all uses and disclosures be of the “minimum necessary” amount of protected health information. That means the least amount of information needed for the intended purpose should be used.
By Matt Fisher – The excuses for health information not freely flowing are numerous, but very often come back to alleged privacy concerns under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and its associated regulations, or “HIPAA” as it is more often referred to.
By Matt Fisher – It is a thorny and complicated question since access comes in many forms. Is an individual requesting a copy of their record for personal use, or to send to another provider for continuity of care purposes, or are the records going to an attorney for potential litigation?
By Matt Fisher – The seemingly non-stop move from one natural disaster or health emergency to another places a significant strain on the healthcare system. Providers either cannot reach a facility, whether hospital or otherwise, or patients overwhelm a particular facility.
By Matt Fisher – Communication by text or email is a part of daily life. Such forms of communication occur non-stop and through a variety of means whether it be Gmail, WhatsApp, iMessage, or any other number of services.
By Matt Fisher – Regulatory schemes for the protection of data, whether healthcare or otherwise, are often criticized in the US for being fragmentary and siloed. No coordinated regulatory framework exists because that is not the way the law was implemented.