The MedSafe Compliance Corner

This week, In The Know looks at the following news articles: Harvard Physicians Sanctioned for Conflict of Interest Violations; UCLA Fined for HIPAA Violations; Overall Health Care Employment Rises in June; HHS Proposes New Coordinated Care Models; Establishment of Affordable Insurance Exchanges Proposed; Mayo Clinic Launches a Social Networking Site.

The General Hospital Corporation and Massachusetts General Physicians Organization Inc. (Mass General) has agreed to pay the U.S. government $1 million to settle what the feds are calling "potential violations of the HIPAA Privacy Rule," according to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The case involves patient information that an employee left on the subway.

Mass General, one of the nation’s oldest and largest hospitals, signed a Resolution Agreement with HHS that requires it to develop and implement a comprehensive set of policies and procedures to safeguard the privacy of its patients. The settlement follows an extensive investigation by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires health plans, health care clearinghouses and most health care providers (covered entities) to protect the privacy of patient information through administrative, physical and technical safeguards at all times.