There are several warning signs that your healthcare data might be at risk:
- Unusual Activity in Medical Records or Bills: If you receive a bill for services you didn’t get, notice errors in your Explanation of Benefits statement, or see medical debt collection notices on your credit report that you don’t recognize, these could be signs of medical identity theft.
- Suspicious Access to User Accounts and Changes in Data Usage: Sudden file changes, locked user accounts, slow device and network performance, abnormal system behavior, and unusual account activity could indicate a data breach in progress.
- Non-Adherence to HIPAA Regulations: If your healthcare provider is not adhering to HIPAA regulations, such as not responding to patient requests for accounting and security guidelines of health information, or if all personnel in your institution have physical and electronic access to health information, your data could be at risk.
- Receipt of a Breach Notice: If you receive a letter from a healthcare organization informing you that your information was involved in a data breach, this is a clear sign that your healthcare data might be at risk.
- Missing Pills or Medication Bottles: If pills or medication bottles are missing from your home, this could be a sign of prescription misuse.
- Inaccuracies in Electronic Health Records (EHRs): If there are mistakes in your EHRs regarding diagnosis, tests, and medications, this could indicate a risk to your healthcare data.
- Unauthorized Acquisition of Health Information: If your health information is acquired by someone else without your consent, this triggers a breach notification requirement and indicates that your healthcare data is at risk.
To protect your healthcare data, it’s important to regularly review your medical records and bills, ensure that your healthcare provider is adhering to HIPAA regulations, and take steps to secure your personal information. If you notice any of these warning signs, report them to your healthcare provider and the appropriate authorities immediately.