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Unintended disclosure includes an email that has confidential health data in it and is sent to the incorrect patient, or an incident in which a server is unintentionally configured as publicly accessible.Īccording to exclusions specified at HHS.gov, you have NOT suffered a HIPAA breach if: Research from Beazley found that the primary reason breaches occurred in 2017 was unintended disclosure. The extent to which the risk to the PHI has been mitigated.Whether the PHI was actually acquired or viewed and.
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“The acquisition, access, use, or disclosure of protected health information in a manner not permitted which compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information.”Īn impermissible use or disclosure of protected health information is presumed to be a breach unless the covered entity or business associate demonstrates that there is a low probability that the PHI has been compromised based on a risk assessment of at least the following factors: Similar provisions implemented and enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) apply to vendors of personal health records and their third-party service providers.Ī breach is defined in HIPAA section 164.402, as highlighted in the HIPAA Survival Guide, as: The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates to notify patients and other parties following a breach of unsecured protected health information (PHI).
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