FTC Enforcement

Federal Agency to Develop Model Privacy Notice for Healthcare Apps

Kathie McDonald-McClure Data Privacy & Security, FTC Enforcement, Health Information Technology , , , , ,

Healthcare_Apps_for_Android_TabletsOn Friday, February 26, 2016, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) announced via a blog post, that ONC will be updating the Model Privacy Notice (MPN) that, in 2011, ONC developed in concert with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for “personal health records” (PHRs), which was the emerging technology at the time.  ONC noted that since 2011, many retail healthcare apps such as exercise trackers and other wearable technology, have emerged and that consumers using such technology should be informed on how data collected through such apps is being used by the app developer and other third parties.  ONC stated that the MPN is “a voluntary, openly available resource designed to help developers provide transparent notice to consumers about what happens to their data.”

Importantly, healthcare app developers should take heed that ONC is not the only federal agency interested in ensuring that there is adequate consumer protection for individuals taking Continue reading →

The FTC: Watchdog for Privacy and Security of Sensitive Personal Data

Ann Feldkamp Triebsch FTC Enforcement, Health Information Technology, HITECH Law, Privacy & Security , , , , , ,

Data transmissionThose who dwell in the world of health care privacy and security know well that the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the federal agency that issues the regulations, provides guidance and ultimately enforces the complex requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act of 2009(HITECH).  But we also know, as citizens of the 21st Century, that privacy and security concerns extend far beyond insurance claims and health records in our doctors’ offices.  With every new smartphone we indulge in, every online purchase we make, every retail loyalty program for which we register, we share valuable chunks and tidbits of data about ourselves that now can be used to tell others far more about us than we ever would have dreamed possible, or probably desire.  The internet and astounding connectivity of so many technological devices, both consumer and commercial, allow extremely private and sensitive information to be accessed by parties we do not know and cannot imagine, for both our benefit and detriment.  Continue reading →