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Privacy & Security

By Government Health IT Staff | 11:07 am | August 15, 2014
More than $26 billion has been invested, mostly in incentive payments to hospitals and eligible professionals who meaningfully use electronic health records. Yet just a small percentage of healthcare systems are electronically sharing data.
By Erin McCann | 10:52 am | August 15, 2014
When asked how big his security team is at the 25-hospital Texas Health Resources, Chief Information Officer Ed Marx responds in a serious manner: "24,000" -- which happens to be the total number of people the health system employs.
By Tom Sullivan | 12:10 pm | August 14, 2014
To an industry waiting for more information on Apple's healthcare intentions, even a few crumbs here and there are too tasty to pass up. No word from Apple on timing yet, but Reuters has reported that anonymous sources revealed Apple has held HealthKit discussions with Mount Sinai, the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins, as well as Epic rival Allscripts.
By Healthcare IT News | 10:17 am | August 12, 2014
With a nod to Apple and its famous 1997 TV spot, which highlighted doers and dreamers who colored outside the lines, we profile some of the 'crazy ones' who are helping transform health IT in new and unique ways.
By Erin McCann | 08:58 am | August 06, 2014
There's been a lot of talk about compliance lately. Federal and state regulations. HIPAA regulations. But, if you're in charge of healthcare security, compliance is far from sufficient, says Jim Routh, chief information security officer for Aetna, one of the nation's leading diversified healthcare benefits companies.
By Erin McCann | 12:02 pm | August 05, 2014
ONC's electronic health record certification process has some serious shortcomings -- chief among them security practices that are wholly insufficient to adequately protect patient health information, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General.
By Erin McCann | 12:04 pm | July 30, 2014
In many ways, mobile device security is an oxymoron in its current state. In fact, if you're using an Internet of Things-type device, chances are it has an average of 25 hidden vulnerabilities, according to new research, making it a ripe target for hackers.
By Erin McCann | 11:31 am | July 24, 2014
A Rhode Island hospital, who nearly two years ago notified 14,000 patients of a HIPAA breach involving their data, agreed Wednesday to hand over $150,000 to settle allegations that it failed to safeguard patient information.
By Evan Schuman | 09:54 am | July 24, 2014
The joys of unintended consequences never end. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act required hospitals to get paid based on how much they improved their patients' health rather than on how many tests and procedures were completed. The intent was to improve patient care.
By Erin McCann | 11:50 am | July 22, 2014
Johns Hopkins Health System will hand over $190 million to settle a class action privacy lawsuit involving one of its former gynecologists who secretly recorded video and captured photos of patient examinations.