Early efforts to tighten medical data security

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July 13th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin

A state law requiring California health care organizations to report suspected medical data breaches went into effect this past January. Since then, California officials have received more than 800 data breach reports. The California Department of Public Health expects to receive fewer reports once health organizations become more familiar with the reporting procedures. So far, 116 have been confirmed as actual breaches, most of which were unintentional. Offending organizations or individuals can be fined up to $250,000 per breach, depending on the nature of the breach and the extent of the harm caused. Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in Los Angeles, for example, was fined the full $250,000 after hospital workers peeked at "Octomom" Nadya Suleman's medical records. California has been on the forefront of data breach notification laws. This medical breach notification law is the first in the nation, but health care providers have complained that it is too rigid.

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