Content by Howard Anderson

HIPAA Audits: A Status Report

Howard Anderson  •  March 5, 2013

The resumption of the HIPAA compliance audit program is on hold while regulators analyze pilot audit project results and implement the HIPAA Omnibus Rule, says Susan McAndrew of the HHS Office for Civil Rights.

Assessing Whether to Report a Breach

Howard Anderson  •  March 4, 2013

Consumer advocate Deven McGraw describes how a new federal rule spells out four factors that must be weighed in a risk assessment to determine if a health data breach must be reported.

The Security Highlight of HIPAA Omnibus

Howard Anderson  •  March 1, 2013

The HIPAA Omnibus Rule stresses the need for business associates to adequately safeguard patient information. What are the implications? Here's what a federal privacy officer and a consumer advocate have to say.

HIPAA Omnibus: A Compliance Plan

Howard Anderson  •  February 27, 2013

How is the six-hospital Barnabas Health delivery system tackling the challenge of complying with the new HIPAA Omnibus rule? Hussein Syed, director of IT security, explains.

CISOs: Building Credibility

Howard Anderson  •  February 26, 2013

CISOs looking for a way to build credibility with senior executives - and win funding for important projects - need to drop the "just say no" approach and build a reputation as a team player, says security professor Ray Davidson.

HealthInfoSec Credential in Development

Howard Anderson  •  December 17, 2012

A new training and testing program is being developed for a credential certifying expertise in healthcare information security. Learn why ISC2 and HITRUST are working together on the project.

NASA Encrypting Laptops After Breach

Howard Anderson  •  November 15, 2012

NASA is ramping up efforts to encrypt all laptops following the recent theft of one containing sensitive personal information. Find out more about the U.S. space agency's encryption plans.

Patient IDs: Weighing the Options

Howard Anderson  •  November 9, 2012

Federal advisers are seeking insights on the best methods for verifying the identity of patients seeking online access to their records. What are the key issues? And how can you share your views?

BYOD: Essential Security Steps

Howard Anderson  •  October 30, 2012

Staff education and a mobile device management system are critical to minimizing BYOD risks at healthcare organizations, says security consultant Tom Walsh. Find out his other mobile security tips.

Essentials of Managing Mobility

Howard Anderson  •  October 12, 2012

All midsize and large healthcare organizations should implement mobile device management systems to help prevent breaches of patient information, says security consultant Tom Walsh.

Participate in Our Annual Survey

Howard Anderson  •  October 5, 2012

By participating in our annual Healthcare Information Security Today survey, you'll help us to track breach prevention trends and information security priorities at healthcare organizations of all sizes.

HIPAA Audits Wrapping Up

Howard Anderson  •  October 2, 2012

HIPAA compliance audits for 115 healthcare organizations will be completed by year's end, and federal officials are investigating options for how to continue the program beyond this first round.

Pritts: Press EHR Vendors for Answers

Howard Anderson  •  October 1, 2012

Healthcare providers implementing electronic health records need to take steps to ensure that their EHR vendors are adequately addressing privacy and security issues, says Joy Pritts, chief privacy officer at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.

An Entertaining Approach to Training

Howard Anderson  •  September 12, 2012

A federal agency is offering a free online training program that provides useful insights on protecting information privacy. Learn how this clever training "game" works.

Using Incentives to Boost Encryption

Howard Anderson  •  August 27, 2012

The two final rules for Stage 2 of the HITECH Act electronic health record incentive program don't include firm data encryption mandates. But they come very close, indeed. And that's an important step forward.