Breaches and ransomware skyrocket: Maintaining Safe Harbor

Americans are painfully aware of the worsening vulnerability of health-care and other personal data to a growing number of hackers. In August 2016, Russians allegedly hacked Democratic National committee e-mails, and cyber security software was stolen from the NSA. Some experts have speculated about Russian hackers interfering with their national election. The same criminals and technology threaten and unfortunately compromised the personal identities and health-care information of 35% of Americans in 2015 alone. Doctors, not software vendors, are required by HIPAA to protect their patients' identities and health-care information. The only HIPAA requirements that, if adhered to, protect your practice as well as your data in the event of a breach involve encryption.