The Department of Health and Human Services plans raise the bar on data security in the healthcare industry in the year ahead. The renewed focus likely means more audits and enforcement actions for providers and insurers.
In its Work Plan for fiscal year 2015, the Office of Inspector General for HHS said it will focus heavily on such areas as the security of protected health information contained in electronic health records (EHRs), the use and exchange of health information technology, and emergency preparedness and response for protecting electronic health information. In its Strategic Plan, the OIG stated that it will continue to focus on EHRs through at least 2018.
