Seattle company agrees to pay $100,000 HIPPA fine
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com
SEATTLE — The Seattle-based Providence healthcare company has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine and improve its patient information security to settle privacy complaints from 2005 and 2006.
Federal officials say the home and community health care company failed to properly secure backup tapes, disks and laptops with electronic patient information several times during a seven-month period. The backup data and laptops were lost or stolen.
Providence Health & Services has agreed to revise its policy on transporting patient records outside of company buildings and improve training of its employees, as well as making security reports to federal officials for three years.
Providence’s chief security officer says the company has reinforced its security since the incidents and will continue to work to improve its protection of patient information.
