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Physician Law Blog

We provide insights and analysis for physicians, nurses, chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists and other health professionals on issues impacting their practices.

Physician Law Blog
April 30, 2015

Happy HIPAA Thursday - Paper Records Count too!

Just ask Cornell Prescription Pharmacy about disposal of unshredded paper pharmacy records containing protected health information (PHI), and you will hear that this pharmacy paid $125,000 plus it has entered a Resolution Agreement with the OCR. Not only is this pharmacy paying a significant penalty, it will be under a corrective action plan to correct deficiencies in their HIPAA compliance program and must submit the members of their workforce to receive training on that program within 30 days of implementing the policies and procedures.

Physician Law Blog
March 31, 2014

Happy HIPAA Monday - New Security Risk Assessment Tool Available

HIPAA requires that covered entities conduct a risk assessment of their healthcare organization. A risk assessment helps these organizations ensure compliance with HIPAA’s administrative, physical and technical safeguards. A risk assessment also helps reveal areas where an organization’s protected health information (PHI) could be at risk. The Office for Civil Rights released tools to assist covered entities. The Security Risk Assessment (SRA) Tool application lets a covered entity take a self-directed tour of HIPAA standards and helps conduct a risk assessment at the covered entity’s own pace. The tool shows each HIPAA standard that must be addressed and provides space to document how the covered entity will meet or plan to meet the current standard.

Physician Law Blog
February 26, 2014

HIPAA Audits – Not a Question of if, but When

Susan McAndrew, Office of Civil Rights deputy director for health information privacy spoke at the HIMSS Conference on 2/24/14. As the OCR already made known, it plans to resume its HIPAA compliance audit program this year following the Pilot HIPAA Audit program in 2012. Now, more information is available on the progress towards the start of those audits. Ms. McAndrew addressed the topic, noting that “hopefully in the coming months you’ll see actual activity that will start the audit process.”