HIPAA Verification
HIPAA Verification Requirements: What OCR Expects
In 2023, OCR investigated a mid-size hospital that released a patient's psychiatric records to a caller who identified herself as the patient'
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Privacy Rule
HIPAA Privacy Rule requirements and guidance
HIPAA Violations
HIPAA Violations and Social Media: A Growing Risk
In 2022, a hospital nurse in New York was terminated and reported to OCR after posting a photo of a busy emergency room on Instagram
HIPAA Compliance
HIPAA-Compliant Storage Requirements for Paper Records
In March 2023, OCR settled with a New England dermatology practice for $300,640 after an investigation revealed that the organization had been disposing of
HIPAA Exceptions
HIPPA Exceptions: What HIPAA Actually Allows
In 2023, a small dental practice in Texas received an OCR investigation notice after a patient complained that the office shared medical records with a
HIPAA Laws
HIPAA Laws: What Every Healthcare Organization Must Know
In February 2023, OCR settled with a healthcare provider for $1.3 million after finding systemic failures to comply with basic HIPAA laws — failures that
HIPAA Compliance
What Does HIPAA Stand For? Understanding HIPAA Meaning and Why It Matters in Healthcare
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Understanding the full HIPAA meaning requires examining how this federal law shapes healthcare operations, privacy requirements, and compliance obligations.
HIPAA Violation
Is Telling a Story About a Patient a HIPAA Violation?
A nurse finishes a difficult shift and, over dinner with friends, recounts a dramatic case from the ER — the injuries, the treatment, the patient'
HIPAA Disclosures
When It Would Be Appropriate to Release Patient Information To
In 2023, OCR settled with a covered entity for $1.3 million after workforce members disclosed protected health information to unauthorized individuals — people who seemed
Meaningful Use
Meaningful Use Electronic Health Records and HIPAA
When OCR settled with a major health system in 2017 for $2.5 million after a breach involving an unencrypted laptop containing protected health information
Medical Office Compliance Training
Medical Office Compliance Training: What OCR Expects
In 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice in New England for $50,000 after an investigation revealed that no member of the workforce — including
PHI
PHI HIPAA Compliance: Protecting Health Data in 2024
In February 2024, OCR announced a $4.75 million settlement with a nonprofit health system that failed to conduct an enterprise-wide risk analysis — leaving the
PHI
PHI Is an Acronym For: What Healthcare Teams Must Know
In 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice for $350,000 after an investigation revealed the organization had disclosed patient records to a third-party marketing