HIPAA violations have cost healthcare companies as much as $5.5 million., Mandy McEwen, CEO and founder of Mod Girl Marketing, discusses common mistakes her clients make and what she can do to fix them before it’s too late.
San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/03/2016 --Though it's been 20 years since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed by Congress, over 11 million patient records were exposed in June 2016 alone! Some HIPAA violators have paid as much as $5.5 million in fines for their negligence. Mandy McEwen, CEO of Mod Girl Marketing, specializes in healthcare marketing and HIPAA compliance issues and says that her clients don't mean to break the law – they just do.
"It is so easy for data breaches to happen on a massive scale, when you consider most violations are the result of a single hack," McEwen explains. "Half of the time, though, it's a real 'oops' moment. Maybe you are in the middle of an email, you step away for a minute, return and hit send without typing the encryption code word in the subject line."
She adds: "Or how many of us have used our smartphones for business, but also let our kids play an app from time to time? If you are texting coworkers about patient scheduling without the right encryption and archiving, you're breaking the law. If your kid is able to access any work data whatsoever, you are breaking the law."
In a recent blog post, McEwen details eight common mistakes healthcare providers make when it comes to HIPAA compliance and recommended fixes. Apps like DocbookMD or Tiger Text PIN Lock may be all a person needs to secure data on his or her phone. Other times, the solution is bigger – like putting annual auditing procedures into practice or switching email providers. The best way to fully understand where improvements are needed is to contact a consultant who specializes in these matters. Companies are spending anywhere from $4,000 to $100,000 on HIPAA compliance solutions these days. To avoid millions of dollars in fines, it is seen as a worthwhile investment.
"It's a strange world we live in," McEwen says. "There are so many people snapping selfies and posting Snapchat videos – with patient permission, even – and yet, they are inadvertently breaking the law if there is identifying information in the background like a patient room number or something. HIPAA violations may be commonplace, but that defense won't hold up if you get caught. So we work proactively to help our healthcare clients get set up with the right technology and training materials to make it almost effortless to remain in compliance with the law."
Read the full blog post at: http://www.8waysin8days.com/8-ways-violated-hipaa-today/
About Mod Girl Marketing
Mod Girl Marketing is an inbound marketing consultancy that provides custom inbound marketing solutions to healthcare and technology companies. From coast to coast, Mod Girl Marketing has helped numerous businesses transform their digital presence from bland to brilliant.
Contact Mod Girl Marketing at 800-388-7732 or by email at info@modgirlmarketing.com.
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