--- You are currently subscribed to wedi-privacy as: [email protected] To unsubscribe from this list, go to the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org or send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you need to unsubscribe but your current email address is not the same as the address subscribed to the list, please use the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org --- This is one of those situations where the subjective analysis takes over.
If a practice uses Win 98 workstations, and the environment where the letter might be left on screen is not a high traffic area, then a policy that you minimize the window might be a "reasonable" approach. It is far too easy to expound on all the technological enhancements that are going to make us more secure, but the reality is that, a good analysis of exposure, policies and procedures to address the problems, and regular training to enforce those may be all that is required to handle the situations. ------------------( Forwarded letter 1 follows )-------------------- Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 10:23:09 -0400 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Marshall.E.Fryman[mfryman]@futuraintl.com.inet Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Privacy issues --- You are currently subscribed to wedi-privacy as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from this list, go to the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org or send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you need to unsubscribe but your current email address is not the same as the address subscribed to the list, please use the Subscribe/Unsubscribe form at http://subscribe.wedi.org --- The privacy regulation draws attention to a reasonable effort to maintain the privacy of patient's information except on a "need to know" basis. If we take the premise of a doctor's office where Person A types a letter to a patient containing confidential information. If Person A then walks away from their terminal, I would reasonably conclude that there should be some sort of password-protected screen saver that automatically pops up to blank the screen so that anyone passing by can not read said letter. If this workstation is setup using Windows 9x, is it also reasonable to claim that this machine is not securable? If I reboot the Win 9x machine, I can bypass any password that was originally setup on this machine and still read the letter. If I upgrade this machine to Windows NT / 2000 / XP, it is no longer possible to bypass the security system. This is clearly a more secure environment, but has anyone attempted to define if this falls within the "reasonable" precautions that a practice should take? Anyone have any ideas? I have talked to CMS and they said that they were not really qualified to answer the question. Their initial reaction was that this was an issue of security not privacy, but they later changed their mind and said it might fall within the "reasonable" clause. Thanks, Marshall --- The WEDI SNIP listserv to which you are subscribed is not moderated. The discussions on this listserv therefore represent the views of the individual participants, and do not necessarily represent the views of the WEDI Board of Directors nor WEDI SNIP. If you wish to receive an official opinion, post your question to the WEDI SNIP Issues Database at http://snip.wedi.org/tracking/. These listservs should not be used for commercial marketing purposes or discussion of specific vendor products and services. They also are not intended to be used as a forum for personal disagreements or unprofessional communication at any time. --- The WEDI SNIP listserv to which you are subscribed is not moderated. The discussions on this listserv therefore represent the views of the individual participants, and do not necessarily represent the views of the WEDI Board of Directors nor WEDI SNIP. If you wish to receive an official opinion, post your question to the WEDI SNIP Issues Database at http://snip.wedi.org/tracking/. These listservs should not be used for commercial marketing purposes or discussion of specific vendor products and services. They also are not intended to be used as a forum for personal disagreements or unprofessional communication at any time.
