privacy

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?

Employers commonly use video surveillance for safety, security, loss prevention, and employee productivity monitoring. But employers’ legitimate business interests in protecting assets and safeguarding the workplace must be carefully balanced with employees’ reasonable expectations of privacy. As the definition of workplace privacy continues to develop, employers must be conscious of the evolving legal risks of workplace monitoring.

The U.S. Department of Education is urging institutions to include privacy protections that reach beyond the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in contracts with app and other online educational service providers. Guidance from the Department’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center (including model contract terms and a basic employee training video) provides insight on…