11 Debunked Myths About HIPAA and Medical Records Privacy for Patients

Are you confused about HIPAA laws and how they apply to your medical records privacy? If so, join the club. When medical records made the transition to the digital world, it suddenly became much easier for anyone to access your information.…

Hipaa Compliance for Counselors: 8 Things Your Practice Should be Doing

In 2017, over 20 million dollars were paid out because of HIPAA violations, and that is just a partial list since 2017 violations are still being processed. When considering HIPAA, many think of surgical doctors and hospital staff but mental…

7 Things You Need to Know to Avoid a HIPAA Violation with your Psychotherapy Notes

The work of a therapist is private and intimate. Every client you meet with needs to be able to trust that the information they share with you remains confidential at all times. This is part of the reason why HIPAA is in place, but it goes way…

What You Need to Know About U.S. Data Privacy Laws

In the first half of 2018, there were 668 data breaches and 22 million records exposed. The number of data breaches is steadily increasing. With more of your personal information online than ever before, you should be concerned about your privacy. Part…

How to Change the Privacy Measures of Your Web Browser Settings

The year 2017 saw a healthcare data breach every single day, totally more than 470 breaches by the end of the year. Yet, despite these attacks, studies found that just 29 percent of health systems in the U.S. have effective cybersecurity measures…

What You Should Know About HIPAA Guidelines for the Medical Office

You can go to jail for violating HIPAA laws. It's happened before and it'll happen again. In one recent case, a former autism treatment center employee was convicted of stealing the protected health information (PHI) of 300 current and former…

What Exactly Qualifies as a HIPAA Covered Entity?

Does your staff think HIPAA is a strange type of undiscovered animal? Or do they understand the significance of this law and how it can affect your medical practice? A HIPAA covered entity is an agency that handles protected health information.…

The History of HIPAA: How This Act Came to Be

When you think of HIPAA, you probably think of patient privacy and confidentiality. And that is a major part of the legislation. It dictates who can and cannot talk about your care, with whom they can talk about it, and how much they are allowed…

What Is the Minimum Necessary Rule In HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) exists to protect patient information and keep their most personal details private. It places limits on sharing between providers and contractors and sets a standard for cybersecurity…

The Worst Healthcare Data Breaches of 2017 (And What We Can Learn From Them)

Every story has a lesson, and every failure is a chance to grow. In 2017, medical practices experienced a horrific year of failure. If you're in the medical field, it's vital to understand how data breaches affect your company and your patients.…

Medical Practices Beware: Common Cyber Security Attacks in Healthcare

The healthcare industry is attacked by cybercriminals twice as much as other industries. The sector is particularly vulnerable due to its large cyber surface. Networks include everything from doctors offices and clinics to connected medical…

What is Protected Health Information? A Complete Guide

You've probably heard of HIPAA and its PHI component, or Protected Health Information. What it is exactly might still be a bit of a mystery to you. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It was signed into effect…

HIPAA Training Requirements: 7 Common Questions Answered

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a piece of legislation that was passed in 1996. It offers patients a wide variety of protections in regard to their health information. The pressure HIPAA puts on medical professionals…

What Happens if You Violate HIPAA?

You've heard of HIPAA laws, and you know it's wrong to violate them. But do you know what happens if you violate HIPAA? A HIPAA violation is a serious situation, and there are many different forms it can take. If the laws get violated, you…

How to Get a HIPAA Certification

Does your company need to be HIPAA compliant? If you're in the health industry or do business with healthcare organizations and have access to protected health information (PHI), you're required to comply with HIPAA rules. Failure to do so…

What to Do When Your Clinic Gets Ransomware

One of the worst things your company can hear is that ransomware has attacked your organization. The amount of ransomware in healthcare has only increased over time. The attackers are changing their targets to form the expertly defended…