HJAR Jul/Aug 2020

18 JUL / AUG 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Q&A Can telemedicine sessions be recorded? Yes. Recordings can be initiated by the pro- vider or the patient. Most applications allow for the host to record the session, which nor- mally the system will notify all participants on the call that the session is being recorded. In most U.S. states, informed consent is re- quired. One thing to always keep in mind is that any of the participants can record a ses- sion without anyone’s knowledge. How can our practice ensure the maintenance, safety, and privacy of patient health records? This is an ongoing effort that all practices need to be mindful of and enforce. Security risk assessments must be completed on a consistent schedule. Penetration testing needs to be conducted on a routine basis. Policies and procedures should be in place, and followed. A solid patch management process for all computer systems must be in place to ensure that system vulnerabilities are addressed. If practices have not already done so, implementing the roles of security officers and privacy officers, and establishing a legal team are essential. If data is breached, how will I know, and who do I need to tell? The Health Insurance Portability and Ac- countabilityAct (HIPAA) Breach Notification Rule, 45 CFR §§ 164.400-414, requires HIPAA- covered entities, and their business associ- ates, provide notification following a breach of unsecured protected health information. The Breach Notification Rule, which requires covered entities to notify affected individuals, are the U.S. Department of Health &Human Services (HHS); and, in some cases, the media of a breach of unsecured PHI. Can you help with onboarding labs to ADH? TheArkansas Department of Health has a team dedicated to coordinating with hospi- tals, facilities, and laboratories to ensure the data submitted has all the essential elements, and is in the format required by current regu- lations and guidelines. Is there anything else we should know? I think we have covered all that is neces- sary for this topic. n Great! Thank you for the information! You’re welcome. Have a great day!