Inside Look
Privacy—It’s Up to Us
By Lynne Thomas Gordon, MBA, RHIA, FACHE, chief executive officer
“MEDICAL RECORD BREACH at Stanford Hospital: 20,000 Exposed,” “Texas
Data Breach Affects Medical Records of
4. 9 Million Patients,” “Hospital Records
Breach Involves 93,500 Patients”—these
were just some of the headlines we saw
in 2011 when privacy breaches and data
security incidents involving patient records came to light.
These headlines catch our eye because
of their broad scope. And their effect is
chilling because they go to the heart of
what we as HIM professionals do—keep
private, personal information safe and secure.
And we know what these headlines
mean. Another breach notification letter sent to thousands of people. Another
consumer wondering if his or her data
are in the wrong hands. Another moment
where trust in the healthcare system is
damaged and needs to be rebuilt.
In its report on the top data breaches of
2011, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
hit the nail on the head with this assessment: “Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible for individuals to protect themselves
from a data breach. It is up to organizations that collect data on consumers
to take the steps to ensure the privacy
and security of the data they collect and
maintain.” 1
Adapt, Learn, and Teach
In many ways, the public takes privacy
for granted. Think about all the personal
transactions and data going into our personal smartphones. We love the portabil-ity and the convenience, until something
breaks or is lost or stolen. In the healthcare setting, the stakes are even higher:
privacy breaches can damage lives.
As HIM professionals, we are the peo-
ple patients trust to protect their informa-
tion. As technology continues to change,
we need to adapt to the new environment
and learn new skills so that we can con-
tinue to keep that trust. And we need to
be the standard bearers for privacy in our
workplaces, to lead and educate others
to do the same.
From ROI to Texting
This issue of the Journal showcases
some of the critical privacy and security
issues of the moment. In our cover story,
“The New Privacy Officer,” staff writer
Chris Dimick takes a look at how the role
of privacy officer has changed since it
was first created—and how it continues
to evolve.
Release of information continues to
present new challenges as information
increasingly becomes digital. Jan Mc-
David and Rita Bowen offer tips on how
to improve workflow and mitigate risk in
“Everyday Risk.”
In “HIPAA Compliance for Clinician
Texting,” Adam Greene offers ways to
mitigate risks in physician-to-physician
texting. And Barry Herrin gives us an
overview of how the European privacy
directive affects physicians in the US in
“Long Distance Records.” Finally, don’t
miss the updated “Mobile Device Secu-
rity” practice brief.
Keeping our organizations out of the
headlines—and ensuring that patient
information is private and secure—is a
responsibility all HIM professionals must
live up to daily. It’s up to us. ¢
Note
1. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
“Data Breaches: A Year in Review.”
December 16, 2011. https://priva-cyrights.org/data-breach-year-re-
view-2011.
