A new study published in JAMA Network Open has revealed that the use of telehealth to treat mental health conditions increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the use of in-person services decreased. Researchers from RAND Corp. and Castlight Health conducted the cohort study to examine how US adults accessed mental health services during 2020, …
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have partnered with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to launch a Home Test to Treat program, which seeks to provide COVID-19 patients with telehealth and at-home care services. Although the severity and incidence of COVID-19 have …
The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) has identified Clop (Cl0p), a ransomware-as-a-service operation, as a threat to the healthcare and public health (HPH) sector. First spotted in February 2019, Clop is the successor to CryptoMix ransomware. Despite the arrest of six Clop operators in 2021, the malicious activity has not stopped, with 2021 seeing …
Healthcare Providers Urged To Take Action Against Clop Ransomware-as-a-Service Read More »
The Department of Interior’s Office of Inspector General (DOI OIG) has discovered inadequate password management and enforcement practices at the Department of the Interior, putting essential IT systems in danger. These basic password mistakes, which are unfortunately common in the healthcare sector, provide malicious actors with a simple way to acquire initial access to networks, …
Investigation Exposes DOI’s Poor Password Practices Read More »
Fertility Centers of Illinois has offered a $450,000 settlement to resolve a legal dispute brought forward by those affected by the data breach which occurred on February 1st, 2021. The hack exposed a vast amount of sensitive information such as names, employee ID numbers, Social Security numbers, passport numbers, financial accounts, payment information, diagnoses, treatment …
A recent alert from the Department of Health and Human Services Cybersecurity Coordination Center warns organizations in the healthcare sector to be prepared and take steps to protect themselves against potential attacks after a U.S. healthcare entity was targeted by the pro-Russian hacktivist group “KillNet”. HC3 has been closely monitoring the activities of hacktivist groups, …
US Healthcare Cybersecurity At Risk From Pro-Russian Hacktivist Group KillNet Read More »
Despite the recent growth and expansion of telehealth, a survey conducted by West Health and members of the Collaborative for Telehealth and Aging found that more than half of clinicians believe it is a poor care option for older populations. This indicates room for improvement, and research surrounding its clinical applicability for various conditions and …
Health Specialists of Central Florida Inc. (HSCF), located in Orlando, Florida, recently paid a $20,000 financial penalty to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to settle a case related to the HIPAA Right of Access. The investigation began after a woman filed a complaint that she …
Research has revealed that the majority of patients who had a virtual visit for obstetric and fertility care needed to have an in-person follow-up within three months of the telehealth visit. Epic Research undertook the study to evaluate the rate of telehealth visits by specialty and how often in-person follow-up within the same specialty was …
A recent survey conducted by OnePoll and Ribbon Health, a provider data management platform, has revealed a worrying lack of trust among consumers towards their health plans. Of the 1,000 Americans surveyed, 62% confessed to not trusting their health plan to offer reliable care information, and only 45% felt their health plan was clear with …
