Publications by Mark J. Swearingen

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Federal Court Declares Portions of HHS’s Website Tracking Technologies Guidance Unlawful

[06/27/24]

OCR Updates Online Tracking Technologies Bulletin

[03/20/24]

Change Healthcare Cybersecurity Incident – Legal and Operational Considerations for Affected Organizations

[03/18/24]

Threat Actors Actively Targeting Health Care Through “Citrix Bleed” NetScaler Vulnerability

[11/17/23]

"Not-So-Cerebral Sharing of Mental Health Data Hits Millions." Healthcare Info Security, March 2023

[03/10/2023]

OCR Issues Bulletin Regarding the Use of Web Tracking Technologies

[12/21/22]

Scrutiny Increases into the Use of Website Tracking Tools in Health Care

[08/19/22]

Failure to Timely Provide Records Continues to Pose Significant Risk as Right of Access Initiative Continues

[05/03/22]

Impermissible Disclosures of PHI Leads to Settlement for Dental Practice

[04/28/22]

Dentist Disclosing PHI in Response to Negative Online Review Leads to $50,000 Civil Monetary Penalty

[04/28/22]

"Cyberattacks prompt higher insurance premiums, lower coverage limits." IBJ, September 2021.

[09/24/2021]

Notice of Enforcement Discretion Issued for Scheduling Technology for COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments

[01/22/21]

OCR Issues Guidance on Health Information Exchanges to Disclose PHI for Public Health Authority Activities

[12/30/20]

SAMHSA Issues Final Rule Clarifying When Courts May Authorize Disclosure of Patient Communications Made to a Part 2 Program

[12/14/20]

Federal Agencies Warn of Significant and Imminent Cyber Security Threat Targeting the Health Care and Public Health Sectors

[10/29/20]

Potential Vendor Breach

[07/17/20]

CARES Act Modifies Confidentiality Protections for Substance Use Disorder Records

[04/13/20]

HIPAA Compliance During the COVID-19 Pandemic

[03/18/20]

Failure to Encrypt Laptop and Failure to Comply with Technical Assistance from OCR Leads to $65,000 Settlement

[01/07/20]

Second $85,000 Penalty Issued Under OCR’s Right of Access Initiative

[12/13/19]

Failure to Encrypt Hardware Results in $3 Million Fine

[11/07/19]

BEWARE: Charging Improper Fees for Patient Access to Records Can Cost Providers Big

[09/13/19]

AMCA Breach of PHI and PII

[06/07/19]

Important Alert: Response to Emailed Bomb Threats

[12/13/18]

Disclosing PHI to a Reporter Leads to $125,000 HIPAA Settlement

[11/29/18]

Largest Health Data Breach = Largest OCR Settlement in History

[10/19/18]

Hospitals Fined for Allowing Documentary Film Crews to Film Patients Without Consent

[09/24/18]

OCR HIPAA Guidance for Opioid National Emergency

[11/13/17]

HHS Announces International Cyber Threat to Health Care Organizations

[05/12/17]

OIG Releases Updated Guidance on IRO Independence in CIA Reviews

[08/30/16]

OCR Announces Largest Single-Entity Settlement to Date

[08/18/16]

Did You Get an OCR HIPAA Audit Letter or a Golden Pass?

[07/19/16]

Joint Commission Ends Ban on Physicians Texting Patient Orders

[05/24/16]

Double Trouble: Lack of Safeguards with Internet Document Sharing Application and Mobile Devices Results in $218,400 HIPAA Settlement for Hospital

[07/20/15]

HHS Settles with Colorado Pharmacy over Disposal of Patient Records

[04/29/15]

Anthem Data Breach: What You Need to Know Now

[02/06/15]

The Importance to HIPAA Compliance of IT System Monitoring and Support: HHS Announces $150,000 HIPAA Enforcement Action

[12/10/14]

Employer Liability for HIPAA Violations: A New Day Dawning?

[12/04/14]

HHS Announces Largest HIPAA Settlement to Date

[05/09/14]

HHS Announces HIPAA Settlements for Stolen Laptops

[04/25/14]

HHS Announces HIPAA Settlement with County Department of Health

[03/14/14]

The Deadline for Annual HIPAA Breach Notification Reports Is Fast Approaching

[02/17/14]

Physician Practice Agrees to $150,000 HIPAA Settlement

[12/30/13]

Hall Render’s Practical Health – Summer/Fall 2013

[09/01/13]

HHS Announces $1.2 Million HIPAA Settlement in Photocopier Breach Case

[08/15/13]

HHS Announces $1.7 Million HIPAA Settlement

[07/12/13]

HHS Announces $275,000 HIPAA Enforcement Action

[06/18/13]

HHS Announces $400,000 HIPAA Enforcement Action

[05/22/13]

HITECH Final Rule – Implementation of GINA

[02/12/13]

HITECH Final Rule – Impact on Enforcement Rule

[02/07/13]

HITECH Final Rule – Impact on Breach Notification Rule

[02/04/13]

HHS Issues HITECH Final Rule

[01/18/13]

OCR Issues Guidance Regarding HIPAA De-Identification Methods

[01/08/13]

HHS Announces First Settlement of HIPAA Breach Affecting Less Than 500 Individuals

[01/03/13]

HHS Announces HIPAA Settlement with Massachusetts Providers for $1.5 Million

[09/19/12]

HHS Settles HIPAA Security Case with State Agency for $1.7 Million

[06/27/12]

OMB Extends Review of Final HITECH Regulations

[06/22/12]

Massachusetts Hospital to Pay $750,000 to Settle Data Breach Lawsuit

[06/01/12]

HHS Announces HIPAA Settlement with Physician Practice

[04/25/12]

New HITECH Regulations on the Horizon

[03/29/12]

HHS Announces $1.5 Million HIPAA Enforcement Action

[03/21/12]

HIPAA Breach Notification Reports Due to OCR by February 29, 2012 for Calendar Year 2011 Small Breaches

[02/28/12]

HHS Announces HIPAA Audit Program

[12/02/11]

New Proposed Regulations Regarding Accounting of Disclosures under the HITECH Act

[05/31/11]

HIPAA Breach Notification Reports Due to OCR by March 1, 2011 for Calendar Year 2010 Breaches

[02/24/11]