The 2013 changes to HIPAA's privacy and security regulations in combination with the government's bolstered approach to compliance and enforcement reinforces the need for health care providers to remain focused on preparing for the inevitable likelihood that privacy or security issues will occur. With the number of significant data breaches expected to rise, it is critical that hospitals, health systems and other health care providers plan ahead and have a compliance program in place to quickly and appropriately respond when a breach occurs. As outlined in "Are You Prepared if the Next Big HIPAA Breach Happens to You," Reed Smith attorney Brad Rostolsky outlines the key steps providers should take to ensure they are appropriately prepared:

  1. Be prepared to respond quickly
  2. Get the right (internal and external) team in place
  3. Make sure there is insurance for everything
  4. Pick the low-hanging fruit

For more details on these key steps, read the full article.

This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.