Corporate Compliance

ONC: send us comments on securing mobile devices

Compliance Monitor, March 14, 2012

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) wants input on privacy and security issues and best practices related to the use of mobile devices in healthcare, according to an announcement on its website.

The public comment period will remain open until Friday, March 30.

ONC defines a mobile device as a “handheld transmitting device with multi-functional capabilities used to store, transmit, and receive health information and has user control over the access to the health information.”

ONC targeted three areas for comment:

  • Real world usages of mobile devices by providers and other healthcare delivery professionals
  • Real world mobile device privacy and security practices, strategies, and technology
  • Provider and other healthcare delivery professional usages of mobile devices

Mobile devices combine elements of computing, telephone, fax, Internet, and networking functions, according the ONC announcement. Laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), smartphones, and tablet computers are included in this definition. Storage devices such as USB drives are not.

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