AIDS

Data on TX HIV/AIDS patients stolen

Anne Zieger — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:21:48 -0400

Recently, a low-level administrator in Texas' Harris County Hospital District inappropriately downloaded medical and financial records for 1,200 patients with HIV, AIDS and other medical conditions onto a flash drive. The drive was then stolen. Now, as investigators look into the incident, it seems likely that the administrator violated HIPAA law when she downloaded the data, which includes total files on the patients. Under HIPAA, the District could face a $100 fine per violation (though a $25,000 per year cap applies).

In response to the theft, the District has announced that it will allow patients affected by the breach to enroll in credit protection programs at its expense. Meanwhile, it has tightened up policies and procedures regarding the use of transportable media devices like flash drives, a spokesperson said.

The question now is whether the District will face HIPAA repercussions. Generally speaking, the federal government has done little to impose HIPAA fines. However, HHS recently fined Seattle's Providence Health & Services $100,000 for allowing unencrypted electronic protected health information to be lost or stolen in 2005 and 2006. The backup tapes, optical disks and laptops in question contained data on more than 386,000 patients.

To learn more about this incident:
- read this Houston Chronicle article

Related Articles:
Seattle health system will pay $100K HIPAA fine
Tenet warns of potential data theft
VA pledges better data security
Johns Hopkins investigates data breach

SPOTLIGHT: AIDS response has shortchanged children, researchers say

Anne Zieger — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:06:24 -0400

While AIDS research and treatment have come a long way, the global response to AIDS hasn't done a great job of meeting children's needs, according to health workers speaking at the International AIDS Conference this week. Though governments and donors provide substantial funding for HIV treatment in the developing world, too little of it reaches pregnant women and children, some said. Article

ALSO NOTED: FDA sending fewer warning letters;IL law would limit what hospitals can charge uninsured patients; and much more...

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> It looks like the FDA is sending out a lot fewer warning letters to potential violators of late. Officials say they're just changing emphasis, but critics suggest that th agency is slacking off. Blog

> Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would set limits on what hospitals would be allowed to charge and collect from eligible uninsured patients. FierceHealthFinance

> Novartis has gotten FDA approval for its bone-building drug Reclast, which used to help patients avoid additional breaks following a hip fracture. FiercePharma

> It looks like there may be another AIDS vaccine trial underway soon, though some skeptics say it may be too soon after a failed Merck program. FierceVaccines

And Finally... Sometimes the power of suggestion is all it takes. Article

Infected MA transplant kills one patient, sickens another

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

Two patients received kidneys infected with a difficult-to-detect virus after agreeing to accept organs from a high-risk donor, authorities at Boston hospitals said this week. A 70-year-old woman has died, and a 57-year-old man is critically ill after receiving organs from a 49-year-old homeless man who carried the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). The homeless man, who suffered terminal brain damage after cardiac arrest, was checked for diseases that can be tested for quickly, including the AIDS virus, hepatitis and a common herpes germ. However, LCMV screening is not part of the standard battery of rapid-fire tests done in the short period before organs perish, as there's no quick test for it available.

When the organs became available, the potential recipients were warned that this was a high-risk donor, but decided to go ahead with the transplant, as the risk of waiting for another suitable organ could have been even higher. The woman received a transplant at Boston Medical Center and the man at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Later, when the woman came back to the hospital and died, a physician with Boston Medical informed the CDC of the possibility that this could be LCMV. The man is now in treatment for the disease.

To learn more about this situation:
- read this article in The Boston Globe

Related Articles:
IL transplant patients infected by donor
Woman infected by transplant considers legal action
CA struggles with transplant costs for illegal immigrants
Uninsured patient dies after transplant is denied