Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1128556
Ta k e 5 a n d t r y t h e A B M P F i v e - M i n u t e M u s c l e s a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / f i v e - m i n u t e - m u s c l e s . 77 Breach of PHI The definition of a breach of PHI was substantially changed in 2013. Previously, the presumption was "no breach unless significant risk of harm." Now, the presumption is "breach unless you can show a low probability of PHI being compromised." FINALLY HIPA A is primarily focused on protecting patient privacy in the doctor's office, the emergency room, and the hospital, but, as massage and bodywork professionals, you use products and procedures that may affect your clients. Because you care about the well-being of your clients, you gather pertinent and, most likely, confidential information to care for them professionally. This private information is exactly the information you want to protect to stay HIPA A compliant. When sharing client information—no matter how trivial it may seem—follow HIPA A guidelines to keep you and your business protected. Avoiding these potential pitfalls will ease your mind and alleviate any uncertainty about HIPA A compliance for PHI. Notes 1. Jim Johnson, "Top 10 Most Common HIPAA Violations," December 3, 2016, accessed June 2019, www.grouponehealthsource.com/blog/ top-10-most-common-hipaa-violations. 2. Craig Bloem, "84 Percent of People Trust Online Reviews as Much as Friends. Here's How to Manage What They See," Inc., July 31, 2017, www.inc.com/craig-bloem/84-percent-of- people-trust-online-reviews-as-much-.html. Lisa Bakewell is a full-time freelance writer, editor, perpetual learner, and lover of life in Chicagoland. Her areas of writing expertise span a multitude of topics that include health and wellness, travel, parenting, personal/company profiles, technology, and a plethora of "how-to" articles (her favorite!). She can be reached at lbakewell@att.net. HIPAA RESOURCES • American Health Information Management Association— www.ahima.org • HIPAA Hotline—800-368-1019 or ocrmail@hhs.gov • US Department of Health and Human Services Health Information Privacy—www.hhs.gov/hipaa PASSWORD TIPS Creating a strong password is easier than you think. Follow these simple tips to protect yourself online: • Make your password eight characters or longer, using a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. • Use a long passphrase, such as a news headline or book title, and add in some punctuation and capitalization. • Make passwords hard to guess. Leave out personal information, which is often easy to find on social media. • Substitute letters with numbers, punctuation marks, or symbols to create words. For example, @ can replace the letter "A" and an exclamation point (!) can replace the letters "I" or "L." • Get creative by using phonetic replacements, such as "PH" instead of "F." Or make deliberate, but obvious, misspellings ("enjin" instead of "engine"). • Keep your password a secret. • Use different passwords for different accounts and devices. That way, attackers won't have access to all your accounts with one password. • Always opt to take advantage of stronger authentication where available. For example, a one-time PIN, texted to your mobile device, will provide an added layer of security. Adapted from: Homeland Security. "Creating a Password Tip Card." Accessed June 2019. www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/ publications/Best%20Practices%20for%20Creating%20a%20 Password.pdf.