Information Technology

Most medical practices are aware of the HIPAA HITECH requirements that affect their organizations, and the fines that they face if they are not compliant in the ways they handle patient health information (PHI).

What a lot of professionals don’t know is that HIPAA HITECH regulations also hold business associates, (i.e. other professionals from other companies who could also have access to PHI) just as responsible for protecting the data as the medical practices who own that information.

After read...

This month's Special Delivery includes the following:

• Golden Opportunity for Small-Business Owners
• Tax Tactics: Giving IRA Funds to Charity
• Uncover Key Change for Roth 401(k)s
• Baseball's Long Season and Time Horizons for Investors
• Upcoming Event With Aurum Wealth Management Group
• Skoda Minotti Employee Obtains Advanced Global Business Designation

Golden Opportunity for Small-Business Owners

Are you contemplating purchasing new equipment or assets for your small business? It’s a good time for many...

If you haven’t looked into 3D printing yet, maybe you should.  3D printing started in the mid-80’s but it is now  emerging as a technology that may well change the way many products are created.  Oxford University has demonstrated that a 3D printer can make synthetic tissue, Oxford Performance Materials out of Connecticut has “printed” a skull implant, and Cornell University has fabricated an ear using this technology. A Dutch architect, Janjapp Ruijssenaars, plans to build a house using...

The rules introduce new requirements for content of HIPAA privacy notices and requires the redistribution of the updated notices.  This primarily applies directly to covered entities.

In additional to the existing HIPAA privacy rule requirements, the new rules require the HIPAA privacy notice to inform individuals that:

• They have a right to be notified following a breach of their unsecured PHI
• They may be contacted to raise funds and have the right to opt out of receiving such communications
• Most...

The new rules make business associates directly responsible for complying with the security rule.  Previously, only a covered entity had directly responsibility for compliance, with their business associates having responsibility only to the covered entity via contract.  This is an important distinction as this places significantly more liability on vendors and sub-contractors who are deemed to be business associates.

The rules require business associates to:

• Use or disclose PHI only as permitted...

In summary, the HIPAA HITECH rules cover the following areas of compliance:

• Privacy Rule
• Security Rule
• Breach Notification Rule
• Enforcement Rule
• Unique Identifiers Rule

The primary focus for most organization’s required to comply with HIPAA HITECH  is to ensure compliance with the privacy and security rules.  The major goal of these HIPAA regulations is to ensure that any identifiable Personal Health Information (PHI) is kept secure, confidential, and only accessed by authorized personnel.   These...

When the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the initial set of HIPAA rules in 2009 and 2010, the rules were not intended to be a “final” set of rules, but merely a proposed set of rules.  Industry experts expected these rules to become effective, or “final”, sometime in 2012 or later, but were unsure of any further changes that might be made.

Finally, on January 13, 2013, a final set of rules (the omnibus Final Rule) was released.  HHS also used its regulatory authority to...

What is Protected Health Information (PHI)?

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, PHI is "any individually identifiable information, whether oral or recorded, in any form or medium" that:

• is created, or received by a health care provider, health plan or health care clearing house (aka Covered Entity); and
• relates to past, present, or future physical or mental health conditions of an individual; the provision of health care to the individual; or past, present, or future...

When and why did HIPAA/HITECH Compliance start?

In 2006, President Clinton enacted the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA), after a growing public concern about how private health care information was being used.  In 2009, I'm sure you recall that President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (otherwise known as the STIMULUS). Included in that legislation was the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH Act”), as a...

This month's IT Informer includes:

• Free Lunch Seminar: HIPAA Compliance - What Medical Practices & Their Business Associates Need to Know
• How Wireless Technology Makes Buildings More Efficient, Comfortable & Profitable
• Skoda Minotti Technology Partners Named to List of Top Managed Services

Free Lunch Seminar: HIPAA Compliance - What Medical Practices  & Their Business Associates Need to Know

Most medical practices are aware of the HIPAA and HITECH requirements that affect their organizations, and...

Skoda Minotti Technology Partner employee, Brian Rosenfelt, CPA, was featured in this month's Properties Magazine, discussing how wireless automation systems make buildings greener, more efficient and more profitable.

Read an excerpt from the article below:

We live in a wireless world. In a few short years, the mobile computing revolution, driven by smart-phones and tablets, has changed the way so many of us communicate and transact business. The AEC industry is no exception.

Mobile computing helps...

Are you concerned about the security of your company’s data? Wondering if employees are protecting the information they work with on a daily basis? Unsure if your company is adhering to the many compliance regulations required for your industry?

Our team of Security and Compliance experts can help by providing a no-risk evaluation of your current security practices. Our comprehensive analysis will highlight what you are doing right and suggest areas where you should make improvements.

Looking for...

Your clients want to, and in some cases – need to, know that you have controls in place when you are dealing with their data.  By completing this audit we agree that you can and should tell them, and shout from the highest mountain top, that you show due-care when dealing with your client’s data, and that you have audited controls in place to ensure this due-care.

How do you do that? Our best suggestion is to display the opinion page of your auditor’s report. (You can do this however you want –...

Join me in a quick exercise… do a web search on the term “SSAE 16 Compliant.” (I know what you’ll find because I’ve done this search many times, myself.) What you’ll find is a listing of various companies announcing that they are “SSAE 16 Compliant.”

So, what’s the big deal with saying that?

“SSAE 16 compliance” doesn’t really exist.

An SSAE 16 (SOC 1) is an audit, and there is no “compliance” aspect to an audit. Think about a financial audit – have you ever heard anyone say that they are financial...

This month's Special Delivery includes:

• Update Your Email Preferences
• Key Tax Elections on 2012 Returns
• A "Perfect Storm" of Tax Deductions
• New IRS Program for Misclassified Workers
• Obama Signs Cybersecurity Executive Order
• Free Life Sciences E-Book: Delivering the Right Message Throughout the FDA Approval Process
   

Update Your Email Preferences

As business advisors, we want to make sure we are providing our clients and business contacts with messages and updates relevant to your individual and/or...

This month's IT Informer includes:

• iOS 6.1.2 Released in Response to Recent iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch Issues
• Unified Communications Solutions Help Companies Provide Better Customer Service
• Cloud Services Your Company Should Consider: Hosted Desktop (The Webtop)
• Obama Signs Cybersecurity Executive Order
• New E-Book: Pay-Per-Click Advertising Tips
• Skoda Minotti Technology Partners Announces Three New Hires
• Technology Partners Pulse: Mobile Technology Use Survey
•  Free Lunch Seminar: Trade Show...

According to President Barack Obama, “cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation” and “America's economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity.”

With these thoughts in mind, on  February 12, Obama issued an Executive Order directing federal departments and agencies to use their existing authorities to provide better cybersecurity for the Nation.

Read an exerpt from Obama's Executive Order below:

Repeated cyber...

Apple has released iOS 6.1.2., the latest version of the mobile operating system, in response to recent issues with calendars connected to Exchange servers. The issue also caused batteries to drain quicker than usual and security concerns for those same users connected to Exchange servers.

The iOS 6.1.2. update is available over the air (OTA) or through iTunes. Users who were affected by these issues are encouraged to update devices as soon as possible.

Click here to read more information the...

February 15, 2013 – Cleveland – Skoda Minotti Technology Partners is pleased to announce three new hires. 

Paul Tuttle – Tuttle joins the Technology Partners as business development director, bringing over 25 years of sales, marketing, consulting and development experience in both commercial and not-for-profit settings.  Tuttle has specialty training in the technology business development field, representing a wide spectrum of IT solutions from enterprise-wide VoIP, to mobile computing...