Earlier this month, Uber released its new program, Uber Health. In a nutshell, Uber Health is a program that facilitates patient transportation to and from appointments with healthcare providers. According to Uber, Uber Health works like this:
Top 3 HIPAA Lessons Learned from Hurricane Season
With a few more weeks left in the hurricane season, it may be a good time to review HIPAA Privacy Rule protocols in emergency situations.
HIPAA Enforcement Actions – A look back at 2016
According to the most recent data provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there are currently 3,427 open complaints regarding possible health information privacy violations. Below is a look back at four noteworthy HIPAA breaches that occurred in 2016.
Recent changes to states’ data security laws
States are updating their data security statutes in response to the increasing number of data breaches that are exposing residents’ personal information to unauthorized users. Two states in particular – Illinois and Tennessee – recently made sweeping changes to their respective data security statutes in an attempt to make organizations more responsive in light of this growing data security concern.
Privacy & security issues for ACO participants
Healthcare is trending toward value-based payments. Back in January, Sylvia Burwell of the of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced Medicare’s move toward paying providers based on quality, rather than quantity, of care they give to patients. Secretary Burwell emphasized the importance of alternate payment models, including accountable care organizations (“ACOs”). Regardless of whether you are for or against value based payments, ACOs are will play a big role in the future of healthcare, and many providers will find themselves involved in an ACO. So, what are the privacy and security issues associated with being an ACO participant?