Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Healthcare InfoSec Survey Launched

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  December 12, 2014

HealthcareInfoSecurity launches its fourth annual survey to measure progress toward ensuring the privacy and security of healthcare information as more records are digitized and shared, and as more cyberthreats emerge.

AirWatch Chairman on Mobile Security

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  December 12, 2014

Financial transactions on smart phones require layered security that helps outsmart cyberthieves, says Alan Dabbiere, chairman of AirWatch, who describes today's mobile challenges.

$150K HIPAA Fine for Unpatched Software

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  December 9, 2014

Federal regulators are sending a powerful message about the importance of applying software patches by slapping an Alaska mental health services providers with a $150,000 HIPAA sanction. Learn what's included in the corrective action plan.

Is It Time to Amend HIPAA Privacy Rule?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  December 3, 2014

It's time to consider amending the HIPAA Privacy Rule to enable the sharing of certain research data, without patients' authorization, to help improve the quality of care, contends Douglas Fridsma, M.D., a former federal health IT leader.

HITECH Act Payment Scrutiny Under Way

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  December 1, 2014

A government watchdog has begun auditing payments by state Medicaid agencies to hospitals participating in the HITECH Act electronic health record incentive program. Find out about plans for other HITECH audits, including scrutiny of security.

Breach Reported After Vendor Dispute

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 25, 2014

An ongoing legal dispute between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and its former contractor, Xerox, has led the state agency to report a breach it claims affected 2 million individuals. Learn what both sides have to say about the case.

Beth Israel Deaconess Fined for Breach

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 21, 2014

The Massachusetts Attorney General has fined Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston as a result of a 2012 breach involving a stolen unencrypted laptop. Find out the size of the penalty.

HIPAA Ruling: Impact on Breaches

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 17, 2014

A Connecticut Supreme Court ruling paving the way for a case involving accusations of negligence stemming from an alleged violation of HIPAA privacy standards could potentially have an impact on data breach cases, the plaintiff's attorney says.

A Lost Server: What Went Wrong?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 14, 2014

The loss of a server at a Visionworks optical wear retail store in Maryland offers a reminder not only of the importance of encryption but also the value of good inventory management and data disposal practices.

Fighting Medical Fraud: Where to Begin?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 13, 2014

To protect against medical ID theft and fraud, healthcare organizations need to build comprehensive security programs that go beyond just putting their "finger in the dike," says security expert Mark Ford of Deloitte.

Feds Issue Ebola Privacy Guidance

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 10, 2014

The Ebola crisis has prompted federal regulators to issue special guidance offering reminders about how the HIPAA Privacy Rule governs the sharing of patient information in emergency situations.

Sentencing in S.C. Medicaid Breach Case

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 10, 2014

A former South Carolina state employee who pleaded guilty to five felony charges after he sent personal information about more than 228,000 Medicaid recipients to his personal e-mail account won't go to prison. Find out the details.

Court Allows HIPAA Negligence Claim

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 7, 2014

Legal experts are analyzing the potential national impact of a Connecticut Supreme Court ruling that plaintiffs can sue for negligence if a healthcare provider violates HIPAA regulations for protecting patient privacy.

Why Ebola Makes HIPAA Training Urgent

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 6, 2014

Offering HIPAA compliance refresher training to hospital staff members is urgent, says privacy attorney Brad Rostolsky, because of the risks that could come with treating patients infected with Ebola.

Costly End to 17-Year-Old Breach Case

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  October 31, 2014

A settlement finalized this past week in a class action lawsuit filed in 1997 against Tenet Healthcare for a privacy breach involving thousands of patients' paper records offers important lessons for healthcare providers today.