Doctor Data Hackers or Doctor Data Losers?

PeterWallace

The other week I went to the family doctor and was a bit surprised that everyone working there was walking around using IBM ThinkPad’s. Gone are the days of paper charts! (ok so it’s been a bit since I was at the doctors) It got me to thinking just how safe was my information? At check in they asked for my social security number and also for my driver’s license. On questioning why for the social security number I was told they really did not need that but they ask so they can look you up with it. The Drivers License they wanted to scan so that they would not have to ask me for ID each time I can there. Guess what they got neither as I’m willing to be ID each time I come. They were on a wireless network and all notes and information was entered in the computer.

I did some research and found out the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that controls the HIPAA Privacy Rules has requirements that “by section 13402(e)(4) of the HITECH Act, the Secretary must post a list of breaches of unsecured protected health information affecting 500 or more individuals.” Me being the geek that I am just needed to look at the data and see how can this information get out? Hacking into systems? Employees being careless? Companies being Carless? 288 HIPAA breaches were reported since September 9 2009 with some surprising results.

More than 49% of the breaches was caused by physical theft! Only 6% (18 cases) was caused by hacking a computer or network. Wow human error and not being careful with our information is costing us our information being out there. Losing a laptop with Medical patient information happened 14% of the time. Hmm those ThinkPad’s all the staff was carrying around at my doctors office, how many times did the lay them down? 16% of the cases were unauthorized access and 5% was improper disposal. About 9% of the incidents involved a combination of breaches.

Some really scary numbers there as when you see the doctor that is the last thing on your minds. Is this new wave of devices into the exam room ready for the security, tech support and infection control of today’s networks? For now I’ll make them ask for my ID each time and take some time finding my records.

For the actual list information feel free to review: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/breachnotificationrule/breachtool.html

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