Here’s a list you DON’T want to be on! This website has a list of all reported data breaches of over 500 patients. They affectionately call it the HHS Wall of Shame.

This is actually a pretty good site ;) Well, the mechanics of the site, not the list. It’s dynamic, so you can download the contents, sort it, filter it, and manipulate it every which way. Makes it easy if you are looking for something specific, or something in your geographical area.

If you go to the page, you not only find out the name of the CE (covered entity) you can also find out if it is a BA (business associate) and how the breach occurred. Nothing here stuck out at me. It is all things that we are trying to ingrain in our clients and in our staff. “Do not leave your laptop in your car.” “Properly dispose of your ePHI”. Don’t end up on the HHS Wall of Shame!

I just looked at a generic list for the last 3 months. The list contained Laptop thefts, unauthorized access to systems, Network server hacking, IT incidents, data loss and improper disposal just to name a few All things we work hard to avoid. Hackers are becoming almost impossible to stop. Their main focus is your data. Still, there are things we can do to prevent hacking like firewalls, password policies, up to date AV and anti-spyware and patch management. The easiest was to protect your ePHI is to not leave your equipment in the car, or exposed in front of an open window. Don’t invite the thieves in! I also saw a few email breaches. How many times have you heard “you can’t email patient health information without it being encrypted. Probably a breach that could have been avoided.

The biggest difference I noticed on the HHS Wall of Shame is there are quite a few more business associates than in the past. A business associate needs to take the same precautions as the covered entity, and are held accountable for the way they handle their clients ePHI. As a business associate, we are vigilant on securing our networks, have our policies and procedures, and provide regular HIPAA training.

If you would like to see a snippit of the HHS wall of Shame, click here.

And remember…PROTECT YOUR DATA!