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Tip: Don't forget to protect PHI on biomedical devices

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, August 9, 2002

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Biomedical devices, such as anesthesia units and medical imaging systems are covered by HIPAA if they display memory, connect to another system, or transfer or store data.

Facilities tend to focus on protecting their major data systems but must remember that this type of equipment also contains patient data, says William M. Miaoulis, CISA, principal at Phoenix Health Systems in Montgomery Village, MD.

The risk of a privacy breach associated with the data on one of these machines is smaller, because there is less information, and you typically have to touch the machine to view it, says Miaoulis.

"Although all information is critical, it is not the same as protecting your entire patient database, which also might contain information from these machines. Most people [attempting to wrongfully obtain patient information] are going to go for the pot of gold versus the feeder system," he says. "At the same time, you can't forget these systems. You clearly need controls in place."

The following is a list of some biomedical devices that may store PHI:

• Anesthesia units
• Clinical analyzers
• Electrocardiogram machines
• Infusion pumps
• Magnetic resonance imaging machines
• Physiological monitors
• Ventilators

Editor's note: Read more in the August 2002 issue of Briefings on HIPAA.

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