Mobile devices improve patient care but broaden the target for hackers. They can also be stolen and lost. Plenty of examples of all three breach types are found on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ “Wall of Shame.” The theft of just one portable device from an Illinois [...]
Secure Paper Protected Health Information (PHI) too! Sensitive information on paper is the same as sensitive information on a computer. Both need to be protected from unauthorized access and should be treated with caution and discretion. In particular, protected health information (PHI) in all forms (e.g., verbal, fax, paper, electronic) [...]
We have been made aware of a zero-day attack that is infecting users of the Microsoft Office suite of applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) with a malware variant. The malware infects the computer after opening the infected Word document attached to an email. A zero-day attack means that there are [...]
Attest for Meaningful Use Security-Related Objective You can register for the Meaningful Use Programs anytime, but to attest, you must meet the Meaningful Use requirements for an EHR reporting period. So, only attest after you have conducted your security risk analysis (or reassessment), corrected any identified issues, and documented those [...]
The healthcare industry faces a difficult paradox when it comes to IT services. Healthcare has some of the most tightly governed restrictions on how information is managed, but it runs the risk of not delivering services effectively enough if it can’t access modern IT service options. There are pros and [...]
Information Security Reminder Spring is upon us. And while most of us look forward to enjoying the time, scammers and hackers are hard at work trying to foil that enjoyment. Here are a few reminders to help you foil the attackers: • Ensure that your home computer systems are protected with [...]
Disable and do not install or use file sharing applications What is file sharing? File sharing is software or a system that allows individual users of the Internet to connect to each other and trade files. Why should you disable and not install or use file sharing applications? File sharing [...]
Should you be entrusting your data to the cloud or keeping it down to earth on your own servers? This is a decision facing every CIO. And it’s one they’ll be forced to justify and revisit regularly for the foreseeable future. That’s because there’s been no knock-out blow in the [...]
Information Systems are a Privilege Your access to information “assets” such as hardware, software, storage media, etc. is a privilege. Use of company-owned software and hardware is for legitimate, job-related activity only. Protect this privilege! Guard your authentication credentials – username, password, ID badge, key fob, etc. Do not share your [...]
Manage and Mitigate Risks Implement Your Action Plan Your action plan should address all five HIPAA security components. Follow your action plan and support ongoing efforts to identify, assess, and manage risks. Prevent Breaches by Educating and Training Your Workforce All of your workforce members — employees, volunteers, trainees, and [...]
Fill in your information below to get started today.
