New guidance from CMS will help hospitals comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s security rules that apply to remotely accessed electronic health information. CMS said concern has grown around the use of laptop, handheld, and home-based computers, as well as wireless access points, e-mail, and smart phones because of the potential for security breaches.
CMS’s guidance offers examples of appropriate use of these tools. They include physicians’ use of a hand-held computer to access electronic prescription information while away from the office, or a home health nurse using a laptop or handheld computer to access patient records during a home health visit. Hospitals and other HIPAA-covered facilities should emphasize risk management strategies and staff training to safeguard electronic information, according to the CMS.
