HIPAA Violations
What Violates HIPAA? Real Cases and Real Fines
A Single Stolen Laptop Cost This Health System $3.9 Million In 2018, the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) settled with the Office for
Carl B. Johnson
Healthcare Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Virtual Privacy Officer and HIPAA Compliance Educator and National Speaker on Healthcare Privacy & Security
PHI Meaning
PHI Meaning: What Counts as Protected Health Info
A Receptionist, a Sticky Note, and a $1.5 Million Fine A front-desk employee at a specialty clinic jotted down a patient's name,
HIPAA Penalties
Punishment for Violating HIPAA: Real Penalties Explained
In 2018, a small dermatology practice in Massachusetts agreed to pay $150,000 to the Office for Civil Rights after a physician threw patient records
HIPAA Breach Notification Rule
What Is the Purpose of the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule?
In 2017, Presence Health paid $475,000 to the Office for Civil Rights after a single mistake: they waited too long to notify patients about
HIPAA Transactional Print
HIPAA Transactional Print: Protect PHI on Paper
The Envelope That Ended Up at the Wrong Address A few years ago, a large health plan outsourced its Explanation of Benefits mailings to a
HIPAA Privacy Form
HIPAA Privacy Form: What Most Practices Get Wrong
That Stack of Forms Your Front Desk Hands Out? It Might Be Wrong. I once walked into a three-provider medical practice in Georgia and asked
HIPAA Training Requirements
HIPAA Training Requirements: What the Law Actually Says
A small pediatric clinic in Colorado thought they had HIPAA handled. They'd trained their staff once — back in 2014. When OCR came knocking
The Privacy Rule
The Privacy Rule: What It Actually Requires in 2026
A Receptionist, a Phone Call, and a $1.5 Million Problem A hospital receptionist confirmed a patient's diagnosis to someone who claimed to
HITECH Act
The HITECH Act: What It Actually Changed About HIPAA
In February 2011, a health plan called Cignet Health of Prince George's County, Maryland received a $4.3 million civil monetary penalty from
HIPAA Compliance
Who Must Comply to HIPAA: Every Entity Explained
A mental health counselor in private practice once told me she didn't need to worry about HIPAA because she wasn't a
OSHA and Healthcare
OSHA and Healthcare: Where Worker Safety Meets HIPAA
The Inspection That Exposed Two Problems at Once A clinic in the Midwest got an OSHA inspection after a needlestick injury went unreported. The compliance
HIPAA History
How Long Has HIPAA Been Around? A 30-Year History
In August 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a law that most people in healthcare couldn't even pronounce correctly. Thirty years later, that same