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March 12, 2009

Medical Privacy and Data Security in the Economic Stimulus Law

Melamedia Seminar Examines the New Reality of Using and Protecting Patient Information

The implications of the new medical privacy and data security provisions in the economic stimulus package are far from clear. While the health information technology funding was welcome, healthcare administrators will face substantial challenges as they try to take advantage of the financial incentives and ensure adequate control over patient information.

The complexity of the new law can be seen in the fact that the provisions occupied almost one fourth of the entire language in the stimulus legislation.

Much in the same way that HIPAA expanded such requirements in a rushed atmosphere, the new law promises to create an intensified and more detailed debate over the use of patient information by health organizations and an expanded universe of other businesses.

As important, these provisions impose new security requirements on a new set of players that will be closely associated with healthcare.

While the law promises a lot, it also will require even more from healthcare administrators.

Also as with HIPAA, substantial confusion and misinformation surrounds these provisions. This murkiness takes on added importance because healthcare providers have been given substantial incentives to adopt electronic medical records quickly. For example, key questions remain over the extent to which healthcare organizations can avoid or ease legal liabilities through the adoption of electronic health record systems.

To assist healthcare organizations sift through the carrots and sticks of the new law, Health Information Privacy/Security Alert sponsored a 90-minute seminar:

The New Reality for Health Information Privacy and Data Security
In the Economic Stimulus Law

Participants are briefed on:

• How the requirements will affect existing and new players in the healthcare arena;
• Key new concepts in the law;
• Where the law did not expand the use of patient information;
• New civil and criminal penalties;
• The outlook for enforcement;
• Where healthcare organizations may have to retool many of their Business Associate Contracts;
• The areas in which data security and privacy officers should exert their influence;
• Why the new law will increase pressure to protect patient information;
• Key issues that still remain unresolved; and
• The timelines for new regulations.

Who Should Listen

The Faculty

John Christiansen, JD. is Co-Chair of the American Bar Association's Committee on Healthcare Privacy, Security and Information Technology; a member of the technical expert advisory panel for the HHS-funded Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration; and is the principle in Christiansen IT Law. He is also a professor at the Information School of the University of Washington where he teaches Policy, Law and Ethics in the Masters of Science in Information Management Executive Program.

Dennis Melamed, editor and publisher of Health Information Privacy/Security Alert, has 30 years of experience writing about business and regulatory affairs in Washington, DC. Dennis is an adjunct professor at the Drexel College of Medicine and the chief editor and lead author of the three-volume HIPAA Handbook reference set. He is a frequent lecturer and columnist on health information confidentiality and security issues

Continuing Education Credits

• All seminar participants will receive a certificate of participation
• 1.5 IAPP Credits - Pending

CD Ordering

The CD recording with all course materials are excellent educational and briefing resources: $279

Download the form at http://www.melamedia.com/031209.order.form.pdf and fax it to 703.619.4912