SPOTLIGHT: Digital copiers pose HIPAA security risks

With all the new technology making its way into hospitals and doctor's offices, an old standby, the photocopier, may be represent a gaping hole in data security plans. As radiology news site AuntMinnie.com reports Today's digital copiers contain hard drives that retain images of every document the machines process. For healthcare facilities, this storehouse of images includes insurance cards, driver's licenses, medical records and personal checks--and many potential HIPAA violations. In the wake of a CBS Evening News story last month about a used copier that contained records of more than 300 medical documents, the Federal Trade Commission said it was reaching out to copier manufacturers, retailers and resellers to advise them on the risks and ask what they were doing to help secure data. Meantime, healthcare security consultants recommend wiping hard drives when disposing of old copiers. Article (reg. req.)

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