Earlier this month I commented on a Los Angeles hospital’s computer system that was taken over by hackers, and the criminals demanded a ransom payment in bitcoin to release the electronic medical records. The hospital ended up paying the ransom in 40 bitcoins (approximately $17,000), as demanded by the criminals. In that post I shared some technical advice from the Office of ...
Risk Management on the PRMS Blog
Get Clarification about Encryption
Background: Under HIPAA’s Breach Notification Rule, individuals must be notified if their protected health information (PHI), which includes demographic and medical information, has been improperly accessed or disclosed. However, if the information is encrypted consistent the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, using the Advanced Encryption Standard ...
Top Three HIPAA Lessons Learned in 2015
1. Encrypt! Admittedly, this lesson should have been learned quite some time ago. In 2014, one-third of Office of Civil Rights’ (OCR) resolution agreements were related to the improper disclosure of protected health information (PHI) due to the theft of an electronic portable device. In 2015, half of OCR’s case resolution agreements involved the theft of portable devices. Wh ...
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Announcing PRMS eRiskHub: Data Security Exposure Tools and Resources
In recent years, the consequences of breach of confidentiality have increased significantly given state and federal laws governing the breach of patient and consumer information. Along with the increased regulation is the incentive for wrongdoers (internal and external to your practice) to access and steal your patients’ information without permission. Protected health informa ...
Online Physician Marketing - Risk Management Reminders
Since my original post on physicians’ online marketing, I’ve received requests for more information on the topic. So here are my expanded thoughts – Websites Websites can be a great way to market your practice online.In terms of professional liability, the greater the interaction on a physician’s website, the greater the risk.A simple, non-interactive practice information webs ...
Stop Military Suicides
As an “Army brat,” holidays showing appreciation for our military – active, former, and deceased – are of particular significance to me. This Memorial Day weekend is more than the official start to summer – it’s a time to honor all who bravely fought or are fighting for our freedom. This certainly includes those whose lives have been lost, whether by the hands of others, or by ...
Thank You Psychiatrists!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While it is great to recognize and educate everyone on the issue of mental health, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank the psychiatrists and other mental health professionals for all they do under what can be very tough circumstances. My comments are focused on psychiatrists because my team of risk managers has the most interact ...
Suicides Are Increasing Among Young Females (10-24)
This week’s MMWR from the CDC addresses suicide trends among persons aged 10-24 years from 1994-2012. The study’s findings include: • Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds in the US • There were 5,178 suicides in this age group in 2012 • The three most common methods are firearm, suffocation (including hanging), and poisoning (including drug overdos ...
Get the Custody Order – Before Treating
A frequent call to our risk management helpline goes something like this: Physician: I’m treating a minor patient whose parents are divorced. Dad has not been involved in treatment but is now requesting a copy of my chart. Mom doesn’t want me to share anything with dad, so what do I do? Risk Manager: Do you have a copy of the custody order? Physician: No So we then start the di ...
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