When patients go the doctor, most think their personal information, medical history, ailments and test results are confidential. Most reasonably think it is all protected under the physician-patient privilege and Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPPA). Unfortunately, with the prevalent use of technology and health information, there are more incidents of HIPPA breaches.
Electronic medical records (EMR), also known as electronic health records (EHR) are becoming the standard for Swedish, Providence, Virginia Mason, University of Washington Medicine and MultiCare, to name a few regional medical clinics and hospitals. With this technology creating and storing your health information, you should be aware of the safety precautions used to maintain the confidentiality of the information.
Even with technology, human error is possible. In most breaches, information is misplaced, stolen or lost because of simple “human error and human nature,” said Susan McAndrew, deputy director for health information privacy in theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights.
Most cases involve a hard drive containing personal information being stolen. The Chicago Tribune reported :
With Spring here, more families are pedaling the Burke Gilman and Greenlake trails with their children. While the family outing and exercise is excellent, parents should use caution with their baby seat carriers.
The manufacturer, Todson Inc., s cooperating with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) and announced Friday, April 6, 2012, a voluntary recall of its 40,000 imported Topeak Babyseat II bicycle carrier seats. The Topeak Babyseat II bicycle carrier seats are imported from Taiwan and retailed for $140 – $180.00. They have been on the market since January 2009. Consumers may either obtain a refund from the manufacturer, or a retrofit kit to eliminate the amputation risk.
For those looking for a crutch to help quit smoking, be wary of the electronic cigarette, commonly called ”e-cigarette”. Florida resident, Tom Holloway quit smoking two years ago. To assist him in staying off nicotine cigarettes, Mr. Holloway depended upon e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are battery operated. They simulate a cigarette, in how it is held in the hand and orally, but there is no smoke. Some offer a modified blast of nicotine, without any smoke.
Teasing among students in junior and high school is an expected form of the “growing pains” into adulthood, right? Not really. In extreme bullying cases, the law considers the mistreatment as abuse and harassment. And it is illegal.
Junior and high school years are influential on a teenager’s development into adulthood. Unfortunately, for Russell Dickerson, III of Aberdeen, he endured years of extreme physical and emotional abuse from his peers. And the Aberdeen school district did little to nothing to stop it.
Aberdeen junior and high school students would strip Dickerson and taunt him in the school hallways. Daily.
Going to school was a living nightmare for Dickerson.
Yet, he survived and filed a lawsuit.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented Dickerman in a suit alleging bullying, etc. ACLU has a website with more information on bullying.
If your child is a victim of bullying, you may have a legal case against the school district for inadequate supervision and failure to intervene and protect your child from harm. Contact attorney Alexandra Filutowski for a legal consultation.
Copyright © 2012 The Filutowski Law Firm, PLLC. Disclaimer: This page is intended for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinions on any specific facts or circumstances. An attorney-client relationship is not created or continued.
With pressures from media, models, celebrities, society and our own inner critic, we ladies strive to look our best, and sometimes that means enhancing features through cosmetic surgery. Unfortunately, there are risks that we need to consider, and sometimes those risks are greater than we expected. Recently, a French manufacturer of silicone breast implants has undergone global scrutiny following a recent re-investigation of the manufacturing of its implants used by at least 300,000 women worldwide.
‘Tis the season to be merry. Office parties, social parties, ugly Christmas sweater parties, or the fabulous Girl Power Hour Holiday Party December 15 – there is a lot of socializing…and drinking in the month of December. In fact, December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
First started in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan, this national holiday has experienced increased community support and continues to promote safer streets on a daily basis.
With your Santa hat, elf costume, or perfect holiday cocktail dress, inhibitions are lost with a drink or two…and risks of injury increase.
After we’re stuffed full of turkey, pumpkin pie and rounds of thanks to family and friends, we gear up for holiday shopping. However, unfortunately, the day after-Thanksgiving is no longer a fun family outing to the mall to see the new holiday decorations, enjoy a cup of cocoa and slowly ease into the holiday spirit. Instead, the 21st century’s “Black Friday” has evolved into a hairy beast of desperation, manipulation and risk. In a year of continued economic recession and unemployment, the retailer marketing is attracting the extreme bargain-hunters from all socio-economic backgrounds, to stand in their pajamas, sleep-deprived at 3AM in the cold outside the store, adrenaline pumping, scheming how they will be the one to get their hands on the XBOX or laptop, or whatever prized product is the “it” gift this season.
A sports related injury, age or poor genes are all reasons why hundreds of thousands of Americans are receiving hip replacements. The average metal hip replacement should last 15 years without problem. Yet, since January 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received over 5,000 complaints of defective metal hip replacements. The number of complaints is more than the number of complaints received by the FDA in the past four years, combined. Thankfully, most complaints are not life-threatening. The injuries typically involve from crippling injuries caused by small particles of cobalt and chromium shed from the metal devices.
A college degree is becoming as common as a high school diploma thanks to the availability of a college education to most anyone who is willing to pay the right price. This includes private colleges that charge several thousands in tuition for deceitful programming to under-qualified applicants, leading to a multi-billion dollar lawsuit.
Last week the U.S. government sued Education Management Corporation alleging it defrauded the government out of billions of dollars in student loans. Education Management Corporation, based in Pittsburgh is 41 percent owned by Goldman Sachs, enrolls about 150,000 students in 105 schools.
We are increasingly becoming addicted to instant information with our smartphones and social media applications. Users cannot resist the urge to post updates at least once a day ranging from expressing frustration at sitting in road traffic or a socially unacceptable commentary on an individual, to uploading or tweeting a photograph of our family or social habits. Would this behavior all stop if users knew that their every click, update, tweet, upload, comment, tag, etc. was traceable by prospective employers?
Perhaps.
Despite social media users’ best efforts at utilizing privacy settings, much of our created social media content is available to online investigators, like Social Intelligence.
