The article, “2016 to Bring a Sharper Focus on Threats, Training Employees, Managing Technology,” discusses the 2016 priorities of compliance officials, experts and advisors to HIPAA-covered entities and business associates.
Jeff said that while he does not expect 2016 to bring big regulations or a significant increase in enforcement, large hacks of protected health information will probably continue.
“I don’t think we’ll see hackers get into the medical device of a high-profile politician and kill him; that will only happen in mysteries and thrillers,” he said. “But I do think there will be some accidental or incidental events along those lines that will get a lot of attention, and developers will start to think more about whether additional connectivity is always a good thing.”
Jeff also advised HIPAA-covered entities and business associates to delete any redundant data outside of necessary backups, especially off-site data.
“Figure out what your statute of limitations and state medical record retention requirements are, as well as any contractual requirements, and if you can delete data, do so,” he said.
“The easiest data to protect are data you don’t have.”
Read the full article at:Â https://aishealth.com/marketplace/report-patient-privacy
Jeff’s areas of focus include representing hospitals and other healthcare providers, physicians and physician groups, research organizations, laboratories, and managed care entities, such as HMOs, PPOs, IPAs, and PHOs, in mergers and acquisitions of healthcare entities, formation and dissolution of corporations and partnerships, development of joint ventures (including ambulatory surgery centers and physician-owned hospitals), negotiation and formation of managed care networks, private placement of and tender offer for securities, and the issuance of over $2 billion of healthcare and tax-exempt financings. He regularly advises clients regarding compliance with healthcare, pharmaceutical, and tax exemption laws and regulations. Jeff is a frequent speaker on medical record privacy and security issues and HIPAA, and advises clients regarding compliance with those laws and regulations. Jeff earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Dallas and his J.D. degree from the University of Texas.