Business Associates Archives

It is hard going a day without seeing a cybersecurity attack in the headlines. Over the past year and a half, the number of attacks has increased by over 350%. Healthcare entities of all sizes are an enticing target for attackers because just 1 patient record can fetch $200 or more on the dark web.Read more…

The 7 systems of the human body are the central nervous system, circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, immune system, reproductive system, and skeletal structure and musculature. The average person’s body is 50-60% water. However, the brain is 70% water. The human brain weighs between 2.8 to 3 pounds. A healthy adult heart beats aboutRead more…

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the US Department of Health and Human Services issued an alert on Friday, April 3, 2020, regarding an individual who has been contacting HIPAA covered entities posing as an OCR investigator in an attempt to obtain protected health information. The imposter does not provide an OCR compliant transactionRead more…

Cybercriminals are gaining access to home and small business routers and redirecting victims to fake COVID-19 themed websites that install malware. A commonly faked website is the World Health Organization’s website. When the victim is redirected, they are instructed to download an application that offers the latest updates on COVID-19, which is actually malware. ThisRead more…

Even though businesses of all sizes are targeted by hackers, small businesses and practices make up approximately 70% of data breaches due to cyberattacks. Patient information is very valuable and small businesses often have less protection than large businesses do in cybersecurity. Strengthen the human element Training employees is one of the best defenses againstRead more…

On May 24, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a new fact sheet for Business Associates explaining their liability for HIPAA compliance. OCR is the government enforcement agency for HIPAA compliance. They have the authority to take enforcement action against business associates for failing to comply with requirements and prohibitions. Since the implementationRead more…

The days of having your computer work done by your friend’s nephew or the neighborhood fix-it guy are over. Your IT professional needs to be well versed in HIPAA, or even better be declared a HIPAA Business Associate. They also need to be motivated to keep up with the changing threat environment. It can literallyRead more…

In their most recent newsletter, OCR reminds all that HIPAA rules require that you protect patient information with technological, administrative and physical safeguards. OCR states: “While the latest security solutions to combat new threats and vulnerabilities get much deserved attention, appropriate physical security controls are often overlooked. Yet physical security controls remain essential and oftenRead more…

Did you know we have TMC OSHA and HIPAA web badges available? TMC OSHA and HIPAA web badges are available for clients who want to have something on their website that shows they have partnered with TMC for OSHA and HIPAA compliance. A web badge is a small image with our link used on websitesRead more…