The Security Scrutinizer with Howard Anderson

Reflections on Health Info Security

HealthcareInfoSecurity.com Marks First Anniversary
Reflections on Health Info Security

As HealthcareInfoSecurity.com marks the first anniversary of its launch, the spotlight on healthcare information security issues is intensifying.

The federal list of major healthcare information breaches, mandated under the HITECH Act, is serving as a powerful motivator for new security strategies. After all, nobody wants their organization to be the next one on the list.

HITECH's electronic health record incentive program also is spurring investments in security as hospitals and physicians take steps to protect newly digitized information.

But there's so much work yet to be done in the healthcare information privacy and security arena. Many clinics are conducting their first risk assessments. Many hospitals are hiring their first chief information security officers. And more organizations are broadening their use of security technologies, including encryption and secure e-mail.

Security Insights

As you help your organization craft its security strategy and implement policies and technologies, you can rely on HealthcareInfoSecurity.com for timely insights and information.

Our educational website offers a wealth of resources, including:

  • Podcast interviews with industry thought-leaders, from federal adviser Dixie Baker of SAIC to Susan McAndrew of the HHS Office for Civil Rights and HIMSS "CIO of the Year" Chuck Christian.
  • In-depth analysis of key issues, including how the HITECH EHR incentives are spurring security investments and whether a presidential council's recommendations for improving the interoperability and privacy of EHRs are practical.
  • Breaking news coverage, including timely reports on major health information breaches, such as recent computer hacking incidents, as well as enforcement of security policies, including the recent firings of staffers at the hospital where shooting victim Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was treated.
  • Webinars offering practical insights on timely subjects, including social networking policy tips from Sharon Finney of Adventist Health System.
  • Opinion pieces from our team of experienced journalists, as well as such guest bloggers such as Terrell Herzig, HIPAA security officer at UAB Health System, who offers insights on mobile device security.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank our visitors and sponsors for their ongoing support. I look forward to seeing some of you at the upcoming Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference in Orlando Feb. 20-24. I'll be providing frequent updates from this important event.

As always, we appreciate your feedback. Please use the comment section below to tell us about subjects you'd like us to cover or experts you'd like us to interview. Let us know how we're doing so far, and how we could do better.



About the Author

Howard Anderson

Howard Anderson

Former News Editor, ISMG

Anderson was news editor of Information Security Media Group and founding editor of HealthcareInfoSecurity and DataBreachToday. He has more than 40 years of journalism experience, with a focus on healthcare information technology issues. Before launching HealthcareInfoSecurity, he served as founding editor of Health Data Management magazine, where he worked for 17 years, and he served in leadership roles at several other healthcare magazines and newspapers.




Around the Network

Our website uses cookies. Cookies enable us to provide the best experience possible and help us understand how visitors use our website. By browsing inforisktoday.com, you agree to our use of cookies.