Bloomberg Law Introduces New Practical Guidance On Privacy And Cybersecurity For The Health Care Industry

News provided by

Sep 28, 2017, 11:43 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Law today announced the availability of step-by-step practical guidance that will guide corporations and outside counsel in developing robust, HIPAA-compliant programs to protect electronic assets and respond to threats. The collection of forms, checklists and model agreements was annotated by health law experts Kathleen Kenney and Lisa J. Acevedo of Polsineilli and Valerie Montague of Nixon Peabody. The health care cybersecurity practical guidance is available exclusively on Bloomberg Law, as part of its Health Care Practice Center, which integrates analysis, commentary, and practice tools to increase understanding of critical issues in health care law. A free trial of Bloomberg Law is available at http://on.bna.com/1wrD30frbNU.

"Cybersecurity is an issue that health care organizations simply cannot ignore. Identifying the systems that contain patient or customer data, understanding threats and risks that exist, and dedicating resources to mitigating those identified risks are key steps organizations must take to better protect themselves against a cyberattack," said Kenney. "This new content on Bloomberg Law sets out a roadmap for performing these vital tasks and will help ensure that the appropriate protective actions are effectively implemented."

Bloomberg Law Practical Guidance: Health Care Privacy and Cybersecurity will help legal professionals establish policies and draft agreements to protect and manage Electronic Personal Health Information (ePHI), enter compliant agreements addressing health data and develop strategies to deal with security incidents. The collection features annotated checklists, sample agreements and sample policies, which originated with the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA). The documents have been extensively annotated by the authors, who provide drafting tips, explanations of best practices and legal authority for using particular recommended terms. The practical guidance also features AHLA Program Papers, which offer further expert insight.

"The rapid rate of change in health care cybersecurity can leave unsuspecting weak links in health systems, and no health provider or vendor is fully insulated from the risk of a cyberattack," said Montague. "With the high monetary and reputational costs associated with a breach, compliance and preparedness are increasingly vital in protecting sensitive health data and systems."

"In an environment in which numerous cybersecurity incidents have involved health information, it is vitally important that healthcare organizations develop strong cybersecurity policies and procedures and invest in the resources necessary to ensure adequate protection of patient data," said Scott Falk, Vice President and General Manager, Health Care and Litigation, Bloomberg Law. "These resources are invaluable in helping protect organizations' sensitive health care information and thereby safeguard their operations, financial health and reputation."

About Bloomberg BNA
Bloomberg BNA provides legal, tax, compliance, government affairs and government contracting professionals with critical information, practical guidance, and workflow solutions. We leverage leading technology and a global network of experts to deliver a unique combination of news and authoritative analysis, comprehensive research solutions, innovative practice tools, and proprietary business data and analytics. Bloomberg BNA is an affiliate of Bloomberg L.P., the global business, financial information and news leader. For more information, visit www.bna.com.

About Bloomberg Law
Bloomberg Law helps legal professionals provide world-class counsel with access to actionable legal intelligence in a business context. Bloomberg Law delivers a unique combination of practical guidance, comprehensive primary and secondary source material, trusted content from Bloomberg BNA, news, time-saving practice tools, market data and business intelligence. For more information, visit www.bna.com/bloomberglaw.

SOURCE Bloomberg Law