'Over 800 data breaches' reported to CDPH since legislation passed

2009-07-11

More than 800 reports of health data breach incidents have been reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) since the state started to require healthcare bodies to report all cases of unauthorised access to records, it has been revealed.

Kathleen Billingsley, deputy director of the CDPH, told the Journal of American Health Information Management Association that the agency has carried out dozens of investigations so far.

"The message we want to send is that it is no longer acceptable to view patient's medical records or to disclose them without having authorisation to see those records," Ms Billingsley asserted.

She added that the legislation has marked a significant change for the healthcare sector.

Last year, legislation was passed giving CDPH the power to look into and fine organisations for data breach incidents, the journal noted.

PeakData Services recently suggested that data breach notification laws in the US have become stricter in recent times.

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