Editorial (3)

Image of someone looking at emails for blog about Auditing email campaigns

2 min read

Auditing email campaigns

Auditing email campaigns involves a review of email marketing strategies, content, performance metrics, and compliance with best practices and...

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digital security lock

3 min read

Report: Ransomware attacks cause $1.9 million daily loss

The healthcare sector remains a major target in a year of incessant cyberattacks against the United States. Ransomware attacks on healthcare...

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Image of individuals shaking hands for blog about Understanding BAA compliance in healthcare 

3 min read

Understanding BAA compliance in healthcare

Protecting sensitive patient information is a top priority in healthcare, especially as organizations work closely with third-party service...

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Image of bullhorn for blog about Do you need authorization for face-to-face marketing?

1 min read

Do you need authorization for face-to-face marketing?

Face-to-face marketing provides a unique opportunity to connect with patients in a meaningful way. While it is generally exempt from the HIPAA...

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Image for blog about What is a CI/CD pipeline? 

2 min read

What is a CI/CD pipeline?

The Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (or Deployment) pipeline (CI/CD) is a process that automates the processes involved in software...

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3d printer

2 min read

How 3D printing is changing healthcare and challenging HIPAA

Innovative manufacturing techniques, like 3D printing, are changing clinical practice. It allows clinicians to create physical objects from patient...

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Image of unidentified individuals for blog about For unidentified individuals,  the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guarantees the protection of their privacy even as healthcare providers and law enforcement collaborate to determine their identity.  By limiting disclosures to the minimum necessary and requiring proper documentation, HIPAA upholds its mission of safeguarding personal health information, even in complex situations.  Unidentified individuals in healthcare settings When healthcare providers encounter unidentified individuals, such as unconscious patients or those unable to confirm their identity, HIPAA still applies to any PHI collected during their care. Providers must handle this information with the same level of confidentiality as they would for identified patients. See also: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide  HIPAA and unidentified individuals in legal contexts Providers may encounter situations where law enforcement seeks information about unidentified individuals. The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services outlines strict conditions under which this information may be shared: Court order, warrant, subpoena, or administrative process: a Provider may disclose information in response to a court order, warrant, subpoena or other administrative process if certain conditions are satisfied. (45 CFR § 164.512(f)(1)(ii)); Identify person: if law enforcement requests information to help identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person, a Provider may disclose the following limited information: (a) name and address, (b) date and place of birth, (c) social security number, (d) ABO blood type and rh factor, (e) type of injury, (f) date and time of treatment, (g) date and time of death, and (h) a description of distinguishing physical characteristics. Other information related to the individual's DNA, dental records, body fluid or tissue typing, samples, or analysis cannot be disclosed under this provision, but may be disclosed in response to a court order, warrant, or written administrative request. (45 CFR § 164.512(f)(2)). The disclosure must be in response to a request from law enforcement, which may include a response to a

2 min read

How HIPAA protects privacy while addressing unidentified individuals

For unidentified individuals, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guarantees the protection of their privacy even as...

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Image of piggy bank for blog about What is a Medical Savings Account (MSA)?

2 min read

What is a Medical Savings Account (MSA)?

A Medical Savings Account (MSA) is a type of financial account designed to help individuals save money for healthcare expenses.

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data on laptop screen

2 min read

Using big data for better health outcomes

Converging big data with the Internet of Things (IoT) opens new frontiers for personalized medicine and predictive healthcare, promising improvements...

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informed consent form on clipboard with stethoscope

2 min read

Informed consent and protecting patient autonomy

Informed consent is more than a procedural formality; it protects patient autonomy on a deeper, almost philosophical level. Informed consent has...

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Image of lock for blog about What is DevSecOps?

2 min read

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps, or development, security, and operations revolves around integrating security practices into the entirety of the software development...

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floating legal icons

2 min read

The future of AI regulation

In December 2024, a bipartisan House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence released a final report urging Congress to prioritize existing laws over...

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Image of someone tapping a gavel for blog about The impact of judicial interpretation on data privacy

2 min read

The impact of judicial interpretation on data privacy

Judicial interpretation helps clarify existing laws, influencing the development of state-specific regulations, and addressing challenges brought by...

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