A tricky issue for mobile health app developers since the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released its first “Health App Use Scenarios & HIPAA” guidance back in 2016 has been
Continue Reading New OCR Resource Adds Guidance on HIPAA and Direct-to-Consumer Health Apps
EHR and PHR
New HIPAA Guidance on Disclosure of PHI Related to Opioid Abuse and Mental Health
In our most recent post, the Top 5 Common HIPAA Mistakes to Avoid in 2018, we noted that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil…
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Electronic Health Records and HIPAA Security: A Design Problem Fixable With Blockchain Technology?
In some respects, HIPAA has had a design problem from its inception. HIPAA is well known today as the federal law that requires protection of individually identifiable health information…
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Charges for Copies of Medical Records May Violate HIPAA, Despite Compliance with State Law
A patient requests a copy of her medical record, and the hospital charges the per-page amount permitted under state law. Does this violate HIPAA? It may.
In the spring of…
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Six Tips for a Small Business to Avoid HIPAA Security Breach Headaches
Last week, I blogged about a recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announcement on its push to investigate smaller breaches (those involving fewer…
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There’s An App For That Health Information – But is it HIPAA-Covered?
“Maybe” is the take-away from recent guidance posted on OCR’s mHealth Developer Portal, making me wonder whether the typical health app user will know when her health information is…
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Complex New Healthcare Relationships Create New Challenges in Electronic Health Records
My partner Elizabeth G. Litten and I were interviewed by Marla Durben Hirsch in the FierceEMR article “Healthcare Attorneys: New Business Relationships Will Create New EHR Problems.” It is always…
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ONC Dispels EHR Certification Myths
Confused about EHR certification? You’re not alone. In a post to the federal HealthIT Buzz blog entitled Perpetually Perplexed by Regulatory Interpretations? Separate the Fact from Fiction, Steven Posnack…
MGMA Study Reports Most Physicians Are Satisfied With Their EHR Systems
A study conducted by MGMA indicates most doctors surveyed who have implemented electronic record systems are satisfied or very satisfied, and many report increased productivity and reduced costs as those systems …
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AHA Submits Comments to ONC on EHR Certification Rule
The American Hospital Association (AHA) weighed in with a 16-page comment letter requesting changes and delays in the standards for certification and implementation of electronic health records published by the…
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