Morning Headlines 5/7/19

Kaiser Permanente Launches Social Health Network to Address Social Needs on a Broad Scale

Kaiser Permanente will leverage social services coordination software from Unite Us as part of a new Thrive Local network that will connect members with community-based services.

DirectTrust Reports Record First Quarter Results in Direct Secure Messaging as Traffic Migrates into Trust Bundles, Messaging Use Expands Beyond Referrals

DirectTrust reports several Q1 accomplishments, including 49% increases in both participating organizations and messages sent.

Tennessee Diagnostic Medical Imaging Services Company Pays $3,000,000 to Settle Breach Exposing Over 300,000 Patients’ Protected Health Information

OCR fines Touchstone Medical Imaging (TN) $3 million for potential HIPAA violations related to a 2014 incident in which one of its FTP servers was left unsecured, enabling uncontrolled access to PHI even after the server was taken offline.

Arizona changes medical records law after Republic’s story about student’s fight

Inspired by the story of a student who couldn’t move forward with life-saving surgery because of an inability to access her medical records, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey passes a law requiring providers closing up shop to to give patients access to their files or face a $10,000 penalty and the denial of future facility licenses.