Are we ready for HITECH's security breach notification rules?

There are some out there who will argue that we are not ready for HITECH's security breach notification rules. Consider this recent story on Healthcare IT News, titled, "Survey: Healthcare isn't ready for HITECH's security breach notification rules"

In that report, we see that the results of a national survey found that:

• 50 percent of large hospitals have experienced at least one data breach this year;
• 68 percent of all hospitals indicated that the HITECH Act's expanded breach notification requirements will result in the discovery and reporting of more incidents, and 57 percent reported that they now have a greater level of awareness of data breaches and breach risk; and
• 90 percent indicated they have changed or plan to change policies and procedures to prevent and detect data breaches.

Data breaches are not declining. They are increasing. If your system is not secure, then you are at tremendous risk for a data breach. Don't put your patients at risk.