Transmission Security: What This HIPAA Security Rule Technical Safeguard Standard Means

This is the fifth and last Technical Safeguard Standard of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule.  It has two implementation specifications:  integrity controls; and encryption.  Each is addressable.  Addressable does not mean “optional.”  Rather, an addressable implementation specification means that a covered entity must use reasonable and appropriate measures to meet the standard.  As we have noted in earlier postings on HIPAA.com, business associates of covered entities will be required to comply with the Security Rule safeguard standards, beginning February 17, 2010.  This requirement is one of the HITECH Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009. For compliance with…

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Correction Key Privacy/Security Principle of Meaningful Use 2011 Objectives

On December 15, 2008, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its 11 page report: Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Exchange of Individually Identifiable Health Information. The eight principles in this report underpin the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy and Security Rule standards, provide a foundation of the Privacy provisions of the HITECH Act in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009, and are a key objective of proposed 2011 Objective recommendations for Meaningful Use published by HHS’ Health IT Policy Committee on June 16, 2009….

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Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Exchange: Key Meaningful Use 2011 Objective Recommendation

On December 15, 2008, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its 11 page report: Nationwide Privacy and Security Framework for Electronic Exchange of Individually Identifiable Health Information. This report states: “[a] key factor to achieving a high-level of trust among individuals, health care providers, and other health care organizations participating in electronic health information exchange is the development of, and adherence to, a consistent and coordinated approach to privacy and security. Clear, understandable, uniform principles are a first step in developing a consistent and coordinated approach to privacy and security and a key component to…

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Integrity: Mechanism to Authenticate Electronic Protected Health Information-What to Do and How to Do It

In our series on the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule, this is the  implementation specification for the third Technical Safeguard Standard, Integrity. This implementation specification is addressable. Addressable does not mean “optional.” Rather, an addressable implementation specification means that a covered entity must use reasonable and appropriate measures to meet the standard. As we noted in earlier postings on HIPAA.com, business associates of covered entities will be required to comply with the Security Rule safeguard standards, beginning February 17, 2010. This requirement is one of the HITECH Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009. What to Do Implement electronic…

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Integrity: What This HIPAA Security Rule Technical Safeguard Standard Means

This is the third Technical Safeguard Standard of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule. It has one implementation specification:  mechanism to authenticate electronic protected health information. This implementation specification is addressable. Addressable does not mean “optional.”  Rather, an addressable implementation specification means that a covered entity must use reasonable and appropriate measures to meet the standard. As we have noted in earlier postings on HIPAA.com, business associates of covered entities will be required to comply with the Security Rule safeguard standards, beginning February 17, 2010. This requirement is one of the HITECH Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009….

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Security Management Process: Risk Analysis-What to Do and How to Do It

Security Management Process is the first administrative standard of the Security Rule, and Risk Analysis is the implementation specification.  Each covered entity is required to conduct a risk analysis or assessment to determine vulnerabilities and threats and to identify and put in place risk mitigation measures for safeguarding electronic protected health information.  Electronic protected health information is the content of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Standard Transactions and of the expected growing adoption of clinically-based electronic health record systems. What to do:  Conduct an accurate and thorough assessment of potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information held by the covered entity. How to…

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