Almost four years ago, the HITECH Act was signed into law, but a major regulation implementing its provisions—the HIPAA/HITECH “Omnibus Rule”—has yet to be published. The final rule, however, is expected soon, and healthcare IT companies must prepare for it.

In 2009, HITECH enhanced the HIPAA requirements and the penalties increased dramatically. Specifically, the civil monetary penalties increased from $250,000 to $1,500,000. Since the enactment of HITECH, we have seen an extensive increase in audits and HIPAA enforcement activities. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) alone has investigated and resolved 18,122 privacy complaints

Read More