Health Information Management

Survey shows many organizations experience HIPAA breaches, remain unprepared for an audit

HIM Connection, January 10, 2012

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At the start of 2012, the healthcare industry still has a long way to go when it comes to the state of patient privacy and data security, according to a survey conducted by Medical Records Briefing (MRB), a sister newsletter of Briefings on HIPAA.

Forty-six percent of the more than 400 survey respondents have experienced a HIPAA breach in the past year. Only 18% said their organization is fully prepared for an OCR privacy and security compliance audit. And 28% of respondents said their organization self-audits for HIPAA compliance only on an as-needed basis.

When it comes to their biggest concerns about HIPAA, many respondents expressed a frustration that perhaps their extensive efforts just aren’t good enough to prevent compliance problems.
“Because everyone is responsible [for protecting PHI], there is lots of room for error or accidental disclosure—the next headline could be my organization,” one respondent commented.

The November 2011 MRB survey of healthcare providers showed lots to worry about, such as the following:

  • Increased use of electronic records
  • Staff members’ use of e-mail and social media
  • Keeping up with ever-changing regulations

Editor’s note: Read the entire article in the January issue of Briefings on HIPAA.



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