Identify different types of data breaches.

Identification should include

• definition of the term breach, which should include
• the nature and extent of the protected health information (PHI) involved, including the kinds of identifiers and the likelihood of re-identification
• the unauthorized person who used the PHI or to whom the disclosure was made
• whether the PHI was actually acquired or viewed
• the extent to which the risk to the PHI has been mitigated
• misuse of social media platforms
  
  
• exceptions to the definition of breach, such as
• unintentional acquisition, access, or use of PHI by a workforce member acting in good faith under authority of a covered entity
• the inadvertent disclosure of PHI by a person authorized by a covered entity
• the good-faith belief that the unauthorized person to whom the disclosure was made would not have been able to retain the information.

Teacher Resource: Office for Civil Rights (OCR) (https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/index.html Links to an external site.), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Process/Skill Questions:

• What is the economic impact to the healthcare industry of data breaches?
• What is the leading cause of healthcare-related data breaches?
• How are employees educated about the economic and legal ramifications of data breaches?
• Which law covers the reporting of breaches related to healthcare information?