The Clear Perspective

Welcome to the 2nd season of CTEK Voices: The Risk Perspective, the podcast that brings you expert insights to today’s hot topics in healthcare cybersecurity, compliance, and privacy.

Each episode of The Risk Perspective season 2, features an inside listen in to the conversations between CTEK thought LEADERS, subject matter experts, and industry guest speakers who share their trusted risk expertise and perspectives. 

Subscribe to CTEK Voices: The Risk Perspective on Apple iTunes, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. New episodes are released weekly and a transcript of each episode can be found at cynergistek.com.

In this episode of The Risk Perspective, we are joined by David Holtzman, Executive Advisor at CynergisTek, and industry-recognized HIPAA expert. We are also excited to be joined by a new guest, Andrew Mahler, Senior Manager of Privacy and Compliance Services at CynergisTek. Andrew has a background serving as an Investigator for the U.S Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Together, Andrew and David highlight and discuss major HIPAA violations in the past, speak about the importance of OCR regulations and involvement, as well as talk about how HIPAA disclosures to the media have changed during the time of COVID-19. This 34-minute episode deep dives into HIPAA media disclosures and is sure to benefit all listeners from marketing specialists to CISO.

In this episode, Clyde Hewitt dives into the history of Cybersecurity Risk Profiles. Beginning with the era of paper-based health records, flowing through the evolution of risk analysis and it's impact on culture, to how new/more frequent threats are creating bigger impacts that pre-existing risk models don't necessarily hold up to addressing. Clyde then explains what can be done to counter risk in today's new reality.

Marti Arvin, Executive Advisor at CynergisTek, and industry-recognized compliance thought leader joins us for this week’s episode #19, “Compliance Does Not Stop for Covid-19”. In this episode, Marti breaks down the seven elements of an effective compliance program and applies them to the current Public Health Emergency/Coronavirus pandemic. “Covid-19 has created a crisis for every Healthcare organization. How they handle [it] is going to vary, but compliance does not stop for Covid-19” says Marti. Listen to this episode for a high-level, yet informative overview of compliance considerations your organization needs to continue during these trying times.

CynergisTek's Executive Advisor Marti Arvin and first-time guest Andrew Bindner, Senior Offensive Security Consultant for CynergisTek join us today to discuss the importance of keeping up a strong privacy and security program during a high priority pandemic such as COVID-19. Andrew and Marti talk about why privacy and security have to go on even in the current environment that we see ourselves in at the moment. Marti and Andrew will help weigh out the risks that an organization may face if leadership decides to minimize their privacy and security efforts.

Marti Arvin joins us for part three of our series to discuss compliance considerations around the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Waivers (CMS) that were issued for hospitals under the Public Health Emergency. In part one of this series, Marti covers a number of the section 1135 waivers issued by CMS to support teaching hospitals, teaching physicians, acute care, and other hospitals. Marti also discusses specific waivers and compliance considerations associated with the waiver.

Marti Arvin joins us for part two of our series to discuss compliance considerations around the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Waivers (CMS) that were issued for hospitals under the Public Health Emergency. In part one of this series, Marti covers a number of the section 1135 waivers issued by CMS to support teaching hospitals, teaching physicians, acute care, and other hospitals. Marti also discusses specific waivers and compliance considerations associated with the waiver.

Marti Arvin joins us to discuss compliance considerations around the (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Waivers that were issued for Hospitals under the Public Health Emergency. In part one of this series, Marti will cover a number of the section 1135 waivers issued by CMS to support teaching hospitals, teaching physicians, acute care and other hospitals. Marti will also discuss specific waivers and compliance considerations associated with the waiver.

Carrie Whysall, Director of Managed Security Services for CynergisTek joins us to discuss supply chain and third-party risks and why managing the level of risk brought into your organization is so important. Carrie breaks down the impacts your organization could be facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She will examine the importance of vendor security management and the process of building and maintaining relationships with your vendors to ensure you have a clear understanding of the services being provided and the risks that may be inherent in that relationship with the vendor, especially in regards to new telehealth vendors you may be using during the COVID pandemic. Carrie will also discuss what an effective VRM program entails and how your VRM program can help you determine, manage, and monitor potential third-party risks.

David Holtzman, Executive Advisor for CynergisTek sits down to discuss how healthcare organizations can flatten the curve in the spike of cybersecurity incidents that we are seeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. He will discuss strategies to leverage training materials designed to increase the information security IQ for health care providers and administrative staff working from home or using their personal devices to access information networks. David will also explore why video conferencing and text messaging technologies that meet the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule standards could provide healthcare organizations resilience in this exceptional time. 

Read David Holtzma's article "COVID-19: Tips for Secure Remote Worksites, Telehealth Video, and Messaging" on more information about telehealth and remote worksites.