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Congress Addresses Medical Device Vulnerabilities
The Medical Device Cybersecurity Act of 2017 was introduced on August 1, 2017 by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The new bill is intended to improve the security of medical devices and increase transparency. If passed, it would make healthcare organizations aware...
Picking up the pieces after Hurricane Harvey
While some of our Texas friends and neighbors began trickling back to their water-logged homes and businesses this week, others who have weathered the storm are just starting their evacuation journey as the continued rain, Harvey's second landfall, and flooding from...
Flooding: Are You Prepared?
Here in Texas, the Gulf Coast is about to take a direct hit from a hurricane that is expected to dump up to 30 inches of rain in some locations and up to 10 inches across large areas. That kind of rain will definitely cause serious flooding. It's a little late for...
What happens when someone submits a HIPAA complaint?
You may not realize how easy it is for someone to submit a complaint about your organization. However, if you are not prepared, what happens after that submission is not something you will soon forget! This is why HIPAA compliance must be a culture and not just a...
An Ounce of Prevention – Why HIPAA Guidelines should be your standard operating procedures
The American Heart Association lists heart disease as the #1 cause of death in the US with nearly 800,000 deaths per year. In comparison, more than 3.1 million patients have been impacted in the first half of 2017 by a data breach that led to the theft of protected...
Texas Healthcare Privacy, Security Focus in Recent Partnership
HealthITSecurity August 16, 2017-Texas covered entities will now have assistance in working toward healthcare privacy and security compliance measures through a recent partnership between the Texas Health Services Authority (THSA) and Third Rock Incorporated. THSA...
World War III via Pacemakers
We're all smart enough to know the U.S. and the American way of life is under continuous threat by terrorist and underdog countries. What we probably don't think about is ways those countries are fighting us on a regular basis. It's not with bullets and bombs; it's...
Incidental Exposures – What are they and what is their impact?
A number of customers contacted me recently concerning possible breaches and what they should do. After reviewing their situations, these were actually incidental exposures. What is an incidental exposure? It is a secondary use or disclosure that cannot reasonably...
Healthy Skepticism – Your Best Cyber Defense
It's no longer news that most of us are uber-connected. We use phone apps for weather, meditation, mapping, games, travel, texting, and more. Online management of home devices, including thermostats, coffee makers, and alarm systems make it possible for us to...
Focus on Security: In plain sight
Sometimes we tend to focus strictly on the technical side of security and compliance and fail to notice the very important issues hiding in plain sight. While a hacker breaking into your network and stealing ePHI is the threat that is being talked about the most, it...