Posts Tagged ‘medical devices’

The Internet of Medical Things: Health Data Privacy

Thursday, March 3rd, 2016

Note: This was written in early January for part of International Data Privacy Day and Iowa Data Privacy Day activities. It is just now being published due to some unforeseen delays.

Do you have any type of wearable health device, like a fitness tracker? Or maybe an implanted or attached medical device, like an insulin pump or pacemaker? If they connect with apps or other computers through wireless connections, they are most likely collecting and sending huge amounts of data. Have you considered all that data, and how it is secured and who is getting it? (more…)

TV Ratings Should Not Trump Patient Privacy

Saturday, January 3rd, 2015

Yesterday I read a news story about how a woman, Mrs. Anita Chanko, saw an episode of the Dr. Oz show “NY Med” that included video of her husband, who had died 16 months earlier, in the hospital receiving care after being hit by a truck while crossing the street. She did not know that such a video even existed.

The picture was blurred, but the woman knew it was her recently deceased husband because she recognized his voice when he spoke, the conversation topic, the hospital where the care was occurring, along with other visual indicators. She heard her husband ask about his wife; her. She then watched his last moments of life, and then his death on television. (more…)

This is Protected Health Information

Thursday, December 18th, 2014

Once or twice a week I get a question from an organization that is considered to be a healthcare covered entity (CE) or business associate (BA) under HIPAA (a U.S. regulation) asking about the types of information that is considered to be protected health information (PHI). Last week a medical devices manufacturer, that is also a BA, asked about this. I think it is a good time to post about this topic again.

If information can be (more…)