Last week, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) revealed two new resources crafted to aid patients in comprehending the privacy and security risks related to their health information through telehealth. Additionally, it suggested measures that could be taken to minimize such risks. These developments are part of a coordinated effort across the industry to address some of the potential drawbacks of rapidly growing telehealth services.
Telehealth has fundamentally shifted the landscape of healthcare, greatly increasing accessibility for patients by removing logistical barriers such as distance and time constraints. Yet, like every technological advancement, it introduces new challenges to privacy, security, and trustworthiness. As a result, legal professionals within the technology and health sectors are tasked with ensuring proper measures are administered to maintain patient privacy.
This move by OCR is indicative of how regulatory agencies are swiftly reacting to the increased uptake of telehealth services, in an attempt to ensure that patient’s rights are defended and potential security risks are addressed. Legal professionals and healthcare corporations should stay apprised of these guidelines and similar resources as they navigate this new landscape.
The complete details concerning the new OCR telehealth guidance can be found here.