Compliance & Legal

While more data is still needed to reveal if mandated compliance programs decrease opioid prescription diversion and doctor shopping, new ONC studies show "substantial growth" in the use of EPCS and "widespread use" of PDMPs in 2021.

While acknowledging that securing access to data is a shared goal, the HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association suggests ONC's interoperability framework does not consider existing controls, or certain business standards and workflows.

The frequency of cyberattacks on hospitals and health systems more than doubled from 2016 to 2021, say researchers, and the incidents have exposed the protected health information of nearly 42 million patients.

An expert offers perspective on the complex process, and explains how automation can save time and trouble for telehealth initiatives – and help providers avoid costly errors.

The social media giant says it will appeal the European Union's decision that Meta Platforms violated GDPR. We asked one privacy lawyer whether the decision might penetrate the company's reliance on contractual necessity in the U.S.

The ONC study of national survey data examined the percentage by race and ethnicity of patients offered access to a patient portal, and the role of providers in facilitating the process. For those offered access, health disparities largely diminished.

Anita Allen, professor of law and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, says "data sharing is the new health ethic," in a preview of her keynote address at the HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum.

There are still a lot of misconceptions about the ONC rule and its requirements, says Joerg Schwarz, senior director for healthcare interoperability strategy at Infor, who offers some tips for provider organizations.

Perspective on minimizing the risks of third-party information sharing from Odia Kagan, partner and chair of GDPR compliance and international privacy for Fox Rothschild LLP.

Oscar Miranda, chief technology officer for healthcare at Armis, notes that regulations are defined baselines yet security goals often exceed them, and the disconnect is a common theme in healthcare.