As technology continues to weave its way into healthcare, more and more patients are using their smartphones and wearable devices to communicate with their doctors, according to a new study.

HHS’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has announced it will make a concerted effort to investigate more data breaches affecting fewer than 500 people through its regional offices.

Aug. 21 marks the 20th anniversary of HIPAA being signed into law, but at least one health IT expert believes the act needs to be updated to better address modern challenges.

In what can be seen as a major milestone in the healthcare industry's march toward increased interoperability, OpenNotes has reached 10 million patients in the U.S., all of them able to view medial records online.

In what HHS’s Office of Civil Rights called its largest settlement ever against a single entity for HIPAA violations, Downers Grove, Illinois-based Advocate Health Care has agreed to pay $5.55 million for three data breaches which exposed the health records of more than four million people.

Shift changes of doctors and nurses can cause uneasiness in some patients. A new team of physicians or nurses asking questions and evaluating your charts can cause fear of the new team's missing a step or important piece of information. 

To expand its information technology portfolio, Newton, Massachusetts-based McKesson Health Solutions has acquired IT vendor HealthQX.

Date breaches have been dominating the news in recent months. Hackers have stolen patient records then sold them on the black market.