If a hospital loses its backup tapes containing 315,000 unencrypted re

QUESTION

If a hospital loses its backup tapes containing 315,000 unencrypted records, it is necessary to notify:

a. the Office of National Coordinator for Healthcare Information Technology.
b. the media outlets.
c. the Attorney General.
d. the Department of Justice.

ANSWER:

ANS: B
Pursuant to the HITECH breach notification requirements, because there is a breach of more than 500 unsecured records, the media must be notified to ensure patients are made aware of the breach. In addition to the media outlets, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights Agency must also be notified within sixty (60) days of discovering the breach.