Prepare a workplace brief (4-6 SINGLE SPACED pages) to address a privacy breach that occurred in a health care organization. Include the consequences of failure to act and evidence-based recommendations for addressing the breach.

SCORING GUIDE MUST BE FOLLOWED TO THE LETTER
APA FORMAT
Resources:

his current article describes causes of breaches and proposes categorical solutions to addressing them:

• Blake, L., Francis, V., Johnson, J., Khan, M. & McCray, T. (2017). Developing robust data management strategies for unprecedented challenges to healthcare information. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 14(1), 22–31.

This website provides an explanation of the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule 45 CFR 164.400-414 and the mandatory actions required by the federal government:

• Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Health information privacy: Breach notification rule. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/breach…

This website covers the basic concepts of health care privacy and security relating to HIPAA:

• Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (n.d.). HIPAA basics for providers: Privacy, security, and breach notification rules. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicar…

This resource identifies the roles, tasks, and ethical responsibilities of health care leaders in the protection of confidential personal health information:

• Burton, B. (2014). How to lead your organization in compliance, ethics, and customer service. Journal of AHIMA, 85(8), 22–25.

This article provides a compelling rationale for developing full awareness of requirements and consequences relating to HIPAA privacy breaches. For example: Lack of prompt reporting and correction carry mandatory minimum fines of $50,000 to $1.5 million per violation:

• ‹Cascardo, D. (2014). HIPAA investigation risks are increasing: Make sure you avoid the “wall of shame.” Journal of Medical Practice Management, 30(2), 119–23.

You will want to bookmark this site. The author proposes a six-step model for ethical decision-making in health care:

• Nelson, W. (2015). Making ethical decisions. Healthcare Executive, 46–48. Retrieved from https://ache.org/abt_ache/EthicsToolkit/JA15_ethic…

This article identifies proactive steps to address confidentiality breaches:

• Cascardo, D. (2016). Compliance challenges facing healthcare providers in 2016. Journal of Medical Practice Management, 31(5), 276–9.

This article explains how to avoid confidentiality breaches:

• McDavid, J. (2013). HIPAA risk is contagious: Practical tips to prevent breach. The Journal of Medical Practice Management, 29(1), 53–55.

Visit this website to see a variety of case examples relating to HIPAA violations and the actions the organizations took to correct the privacy breach:

• United States Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). All case examples. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/compli…

This website contains history and details about HIPAA rules, including privacy, security, and breach notification. It also provides current results of HIPAA complaints enforcement efforts, and shows the current percent resolution of these cases:

• United States Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Enforcement highlights. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/compli…

The following website contains actual HIPAA case examples by covered entity category and types of issues. Case examples are presented of hospitals, providers, health plans, outpatient facilities, pharmacies and private practices. Case examples are also presented by access, authorizations, business associates, compliance with privacy rule, confidential communications, disclosures to avert serious threats, impermissible uses, safeguards, et cetera:

• United States Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). HIPAA cases by level of care and type. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/compli…

This website provides current examples of cases, corrective actions, and resolution agreements:

• United States Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). HIPAA enforcement: Case examples and resolution agreements. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/compli…