The Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act) has been introduced into the legislature in New York by Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. The aim of the act is to protect New Yorkers from needless breaches of their personal information and to ensure they are notified when such breaches occur. The program... Read More

The number  use of marijuana rose in America from 14.4 million in 2007 to 17.4 million in 2010, while the numbers of methamphetamine users aged 12+ years dropped from 731,000 in 2006 to 353,000 in 2010. Illicit drug usage overall rose between 2008 and 2010, according to a SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services... Read More

Researchers have designed a “smart” bandage that is much more effective and faster-acting than regular healing patches. The same device can also be loaded with drugs, depending on the type and stage of the wound it is applied to The idea for the new device was born out of the need to find more efficient, expedient,... Read More

Don’t look now but here comes HEAD COLD SEASON. Head colds can closely resemble other conditions, including chest colds and sinus infections. However, there are some significant differences. A head cold occurs when a viral infection causes symptoms primarily in the head, such as a stuffy nose or a headache. It differs from a chest... Read More

  The telltale signs of a good or bad night’s sleep 35 percent of adult’s sleep for under 7 hours each night, according to the American Sleep Association. Sleep quality According to the National Sleep Foundation, over one third of people in the United States say that their sleep quality is “poor” or only “fair.”... Read More

  An investigation has been conducted into a privacy violation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Bedford Memorial hospital, in which photographs and videos of a patient’s genitals were taken by hospital staff and in some cases, were shared with other individuals including non-hospital staff. The patient was admitted to the hospital in late... Read More

  At least 35 hospitals in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina have either closed entirely or ordered partial evacuations in advance of Hurricane Irma.   The decisions came as officials ordered nearly 7 million people to leave their homes, causing a mass exodus north before the storm lashed the Florida coast. Throughout this week, Irma’s... Read More

Another important finding of Miller and her team’s study was that raw vegetables are more healthful than cooked ones, a distinction which is not usually made in dietary guidelines across the world. This “raw” versus “cooked” debate also taps into country-specific dietary practices, the researchers say. “Raw vegetable intake was more strongly associated with a... Read More

The last few years has seen an exponential increase in the capacity and capability of new health technologies heralding the prospect of a very different model of healthcare. Apple wants the iPhone to become the central bank for health information. It is looking to host clinical information, such as labs and allergy lists, and not... Read More

Researchers have linked the consumption of non-cow’s milk with shorter height in children INTERESTING ARTICLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? A new study of more than 5,000 children has associated consumption of non-cow’s milk with shorter height, raising concerns about the nutritional content of cow’s milk alternatives. Researchers found that children who consume non-cow’s milk may... Read More

HIPAA Risk Assessment The requirement for Covered Entities to conduct a HIPAA risk assessment is not a new provision of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The requirement was first introduced in 2003 in the original HIPAA Privacy Rule, and subsequently extended to cover the administrative, physical and technical safeguards of the HIPAA Security... Read More

Nutritional Intervention Could Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease Nutritional intervention could prevent Alzheimer’s disease. According to a new article published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers have found that nutritional intervention could prevent Alzheimer’s disease. When patients experienced  high omega-3 levels, blood flow in specific areas of the brain is increased. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease... Read More

  Pharmacy chain Rite Aid announces a breach. According to HIPAA Journal, Rite Aid has discovered unauthorized individuals gained access,(breached), to the e-commerce platform of its online store and stole sensitive information of its customers over a period of 10 weeks. The attackers breached their systems and gained access to, and stole, personal information and... Read More

TURNS OUT THERE ARE BENEFITS TO TAKING A WALK Regular exercise has long been considered key for improving and maintaining physical health. When it comes to psychological health, however, new research suggests that you do not need to hit the gym in order to reap the rewards. Researchers say that engaging in light physical activity,... Read More

Based on an article by Tom Newman Alongside breathing and paying tax, swearing is a universal part of the human experience. Whether you never swear at all or make a regular habit of it, swear words are all around us. From giggling schoolchildren through to grumpy grandparents, swearing is rife. It has been documented in... Read More

Cloud encryption alone is not enough.   When it comes to healthcare and patient data in the cloud: a recent study found 25 percent of healthcare organizations are not encrypting patient data. That means unauthorized people have access to health records and all data stored with it. This data could include names, birthdates, and social... Read More

What does a trip to the doctor’s office cost….. used to be a simple question. Some people say” they can’t tell you.” “(The medical industry)…is trying to keep this information a secret.” This statement is not only incorrect, but shows a blatant lack of knowledge of the operations of physicians’ offices. However the frustration being... Read More

There are many aspects of HIPAA that are somewhat “liberal”. But make no mistake, these less specific measures are just as important as those with rigorous requirements.HIPAA Workstation Security is one area to start paying attention to. When addressing HIPAA Workstation Security, it’s a lot like retail stores. As you look around these locations, you’ll... Read More

  Cholesterol 101 The key to improving heart health is knowledge. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of the body. It is also found in foods from animal sources, like beef, poultry and full-fat dairy products. While your body needs some cholesterol to function properly, produce hormones, vitamin D and the... Read More