HIMSS 2012 Offers Security Education

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society 2012 Conference, to be held Feb. 20-24 in Las Vegas, will offer a wealth of educational content on privacy and security issues. Among key topics this year are the latest regulatory developments, mobile device security and social networking policies.

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This major IT event, expected to attract as many as 35,000 attendees, will kick off with an all-day privacy and security workshop Feb. 20. The workshop will offer a crash course on creating a comprehensive security program (see: 7 Steps to Building an Effective Security Program).

Among the keynoters is Farzad Mostashari, who directs the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT within the Department of Health and Human Services. ONC coordinates the HITECH Act electronic health record incentive program. In his presentation at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, Mostashari is likely to address pending regulations for Stage 2 of the incentive program, which are slated to include enhanced privacy and security provisions.

Other ONC officials are scheduled to speak about the latest regulations at a number of other sessions throughout the week.

Leon Rodriguez, the new leader of the HHS Office for Civil Rights, which enforces HIPAA, will speak at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. OCR recently launched a HIPAA compliance audit program.

Mobile Device Security

The HIMSS Conference will feature a long list of sessions touching on the issue of mobile device security. For example, at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, an executive from United Health Services will describe an effort to enable physicians to use their own smart phones to access clinical information.

Several sessions will tackle social media privacy issues. At 8 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, keynoter Bill Stone, Twitter co-founder, will discuss the role of social media in healthcare. In another session at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, two attorneys from the firm Dickinson Wright will provide tips on developing a social media policy.

Other sessions of interest include:

• "Protecting Privacy Without Harming Patients," 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, featuring Eric Liederman, M.D., of Kaiser Permanente.
• "Trends and Recent Developments in Patient Privacy," 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, featuring Deven McGraw of the Center for Democracy and Technology and Jerry Hinkley of the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman;
• "Lessons Learned from Healthcare Breaches," 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, featuring Mac McMillan of CynergisTek and Adam Greene of the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine.

HealthcareInfoSecurity will provide daily news updates from the conference.

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