March, 2025

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More Than One-Third of Data Breaches Due to Third-Party Compromises

The HIPAA Journal

Cyber actors are increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities at vendors, suppliers, and software providers to infiltrate the networks of organizations. According to a recent report from SecurityScorecard, at least 35.5% of all data breaches in 2024 originated from third-party compromises, up 6.5% from 2023. The number of data breaches stemming from third parties is likely higher since the third-party component of data breaches is not always disclosed.

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Planned Home Birth - Marty Makary’s Blind Spot

Sensible Medicine

Marty Makary's book "Blind Spots" seems to be popular among Sensible Medicine readers. Dr. Joseph Rall found one part that he didn't think adequately represented current practice. Here he discusses the most recent data regarding the safety of planned home birth in selected women. Thanks for reading Sensible Medicine! This post is public so feel free to share it.

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The Return of American Manufacturing Demands a Chief Health & Benefits Officer (CHBO) to Fix Benefits Procurement

The Healthcare Blog

By MATT McCORD American manufacturing is making a comeback. Driven by tariffs, supply chain instability, and shifting economic priorities, companies are reshoring productionreinvesting in U.S. labor and operations. But theres one major obstacle still standing in the way: the crushing cost of American healthcare. For decades, U.S. employers have overpaid for healthcare without improving outcomes.

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Black Veterans’ Silent Battle with Mental Health and Addiction is Costing Lives

Minority Nurse

When I returned from serving my country, I was a different person. My kids noticed I was distant, and I turned to alcohol and the party life to cope. Years of service had taken a toll on my mental health, and I no longer recognized the man in the mirror. For many veterans like me, the trauma and stress of service linger long after the uniform comes off.

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How to Start Virtual Care the Right Way: A Proven Roadmap for 2025 and Beyond

Speaker: Dr. Christine Gall, DrPH, MS, BSN, RN

The promise of virtual care is no longer theoretical and is now a critical solution to many of healthcare’s most urgent challenges. Yet many healthcare leaders remain unsure how to build a business case for investment and launching the right program at the right time can be the difference between value and failure. For organizations seeking a financially sound, clinically effective entry point, Virtual Patient Observation (VPO) offers a compelling case to lead with.

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Physician-Patient Communication, Five Years After COVID-19

Mobius MD

Five years after the COVID-19 virus arrived in the U.S., polls show Americans have mostly moved on. According to new data from Pew Research , just one in five Americans say the coronavirus is still a major threat, and fewer than half planned to get the latest booster vaccine. Still, we continue to feel the pandemics impact on many aspects of American society, including physician-patient communication.

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Website Tracking Lawsuit Against Orlando Health Survives Motion to Dismiss

The HIPAA Journal

A lawsuit against Orlando Health in Florida over the disclosure of the plaintiff’s data to third parties via tracking tools on its website has survived a motion to dismiss. The plaintiff alleged that after visiting the website of Orlando Health and performing medical searches she was targeted with Facebook ads specific to her medical conditions.

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Artificial Intelligence can be the Catalyst for Transformative Change at NIH

Sensible Medicine

Stadiums packed with working-class Americans cheering for public health. Political leaders calling for war on our chronic disease crisis. An incoming NIH Director, Jay Bhattacharya M.D., Ph.D. committed to reform. Had someone painted this picture when I was a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where the moto is “saving lives, millions at a time” it would have sounded like a dream come true.

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Why Quebec’s health care model could change Canada’s system for good

KevinMD.com

Health care systems worldwide are grappling with access, efficiency, and sustainability challenges. In Canada, the debate over public versus private care is especially charged, and nowhere is this more evident than in Quebec. The province has the highest number of physicians practicing outside the public system in the countryyet they still account for only 2 Read more Why Quebecs health care model could change Canadas system for good originally appeared in KevinMD.com.

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Study Addresses Representation Disparities of AANHPI Populations in the U.S. Health Workforce

Minority Nurse

A new study from George Washington University researchers highlights the critical need for disaggregating data on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations in the U.S. health workforce to better understand representation disparities and reduce health disparities. Although the AANHPI population comprises over 50 ethnicities and speaks more than 100 languages, research and policies usually present them as a unified group.

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How Routine Medical Care Fuels America’s Opioid Crisis

The Healthcare Blog

By MATT McCORD When most Americans undergo surgery, they expect to recover quickly and return to their normal lives. Few realize that something as routine as a shoulder surgery, a hernia repair, or a mastectomy can mark the beginning of a life-altering opioid addiction. This often-overlooked connection between routine medical care and opioid dependence demands urgent attention.

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Technology in the Pharmacy: How It Impacts Pharmacy Technicians

Northwest Career College

Technology plays a massive part in improving many industries, including healthcare and pharmacy. Modern pharmacy technology helps improve task organization and patient care while minimizing errors. The role of Pharmacy Technicians , who assist pharmacists in daily operations, has changed with the advancement of technology. Automation in the Filling of Prescription Most of the changes technology has brought to the pharmacy setting pertain to filling prescriptions.

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Oracle Health Breach Affects Patients of Multiple U.S. Multiple Hospitals

The HIPAA Journal

Oracle appears to have suffered two security incidents, one of which involved data stored by Oracle Health related to the electronic health record (EHR) company Cerner.Oracle Health is a provider of health information technology to hospitals. In December 2021, Oracle announced it had reached an agreement to buy Cerner Corporation, an EHR vendor. The deal was closed in June 2022, and Cerner became Oracle Health.

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Manage your EHR inbox more effectively with these tips

Mobius MD

Manage Your EHR Inbox More Effectively with These Tips Many physicians are drowning in administrative tasks, and the EHR inbox is a major culprit. While we often focus our blog articles on streamlining clinical documentation , managing the deluge of messages in your EHR is equally important. A recent study found that primary care physicians in a Massachusetts hospital spent an average of 36 minutes per visit using the EHR , with nearly 8 minutes dedicated to the EHR inbox.

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The Looming Electrician Shortage: How It Could Impact America’s Economy and the Future of AI

Intercoast

A Growing Concern for Industry Leaders The United States is facing a potential crisis in its labor market: a shortage of skilled electricians. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink recently highlighted this issue at CERAWeek, an annual energy conference hosted by S&P Global, warning that the U.S. may soon run out of electricians. This problem could significantly affect the countrys economy and the rapid expansion of AI-powered data centers.

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How to Ace 4 Common Nursing Interview Questions

Minority Nurse

Job interviews can be a source of stress for novice and seasoned nurses, and being prepared for some of the most common questions can give you the confidence to ace your next nursing interview. You obviously can’t rehearse for every possible question, but practice boosts your readiness and creates a positive mindset that will increase your comfort level in preparing for what’s ahead.

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Duration of Trials vs Duration of Therapy

Sensible Medicine

Co-editor of Sensible Medicine Vinay Prasad and two colleagues published a remarkable study last week regarding the length of antidepressant drug trials vs duration of therapy in the real world. The median trial duration was 8 weeks while real-world use of these drugs is 5 years. Few trials lasted long enough to monitor for withdrawal symptoms or included taper protocols.

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Top Safety Practices Every Phlebotomist Should Follow

Northwest Career College

As a phlebotomist, you are responsible for drawing a person’s blood, be it for testing, donation, or transfusion. Your work directly involves needles and blood, so it’s essential to follow strict safety practices to protect yourself, your patients, and others around you. In this guide, we’ll walk together through the most critical safety steps every phlebotomist should observe, helping you uphold your responsibility with integrity and care. 1.

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99% Of Healthcare Orgs Managing IoMT Devices with Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

The HIPAA Journal

A recent analysis of connected medical devices, patient systems, and operational technology (OT) in hospitals and other healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) has revealed an alarming number of devices and systems have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by threat actors to gain access to healthcare networks and sensitive patient data.Russian cybercrime groups and other financially motivated threat actors are targeting healthcare organizations because they are viewed as easy targets.

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Three Best Practices to Ensure Data Security and Compliance in Medical Billing 

Health Prime

Safeguarding patient information and ensuring data security is always the highest priority in medical billing. With the expansion of digital healthcare information systems, security and regulatory compliance—such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) —have become not only best practices but also legal requirements. All health personnel and institutions must ensure patient healthcare information security, privacy, and protection.

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Primary care news round-up (27th February to 5th March 2025)

Practice Index

Contract deal raises new cash questions A new GP contract deal is set to end the BMAs dispute with the NHS over practice funding, but managers have questioned whether it will provide enough cash. The deal will release some 889 million worth of funds into the general practice global sum, an increase of 7.2%, although some of this is redirected from dedicated funds.

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Nurses in Media: Beyond Institutional Control and the CNO’s Directive

Minority Nurse

The article “ Nurses’ Voices in Media: Strategies for Chief Nursing Officers ” in The Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA) attempts to frame how Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) can guide and support nurses in engaging with the media. While the intent may be positive, the underlying premisethat nurses need institutional oversight or directives to participate in mediais exactly why nursing continues to lag in public representation.

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MedTech Advancements in CNA Training Programs

Serenity Nurse Aide Academy

MedTech innovations are reshaping CNA training in North Carolina , equipping students with the essential skills to adapt to the latest technologies in healthcare. From digital health monitoring to automated diagnostic tools, the integration of MedTech in CNA education ensures that students are prepared for the advanced tools they will use daily. These advancements enhance the accuracy of care and improve patient outcomes by enabling CNAs to manage patient information and treatments more effectiv

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Best Communication Practices for IT Tech Remote Support

Northwest Career College

Communication is the most important thing when being an IT technician. Communication is even more critical if you’re performing remote support, where you can’t interact with the individual personally. Effective communication can be the deciding factor when it comes to the pace and discreetness with which technical issues can be resolved for clients or team members.

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Settlement Agreed to Resolve RIPTA Ransomware Attack Lawsuit

The HIPAA Journal

A settlement has been agreed to resolve a lawsuit against the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) and UnitedHealthcare New England (UHC) over a 2021 ransomware attack. The ransomware attack was detected and blocked on August 5, 2021; however, the forensic investigation confirmed that hackers gained access to its network on August 3, 2021, and stole sensitive data including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and health plan ID numbers.

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We Cannot Let RFK Jr Lead Us Backwards in Health

The Healthcare Blog

By ARIEL FRISTOE As the artistic director of Out of Hand Theater, an arts organization that promotes anti-racism, social activism and health equity, I believe the recent appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK) as Secretary to the Department of Health and Human Services is beyond concerning. RFK is not a doctor, nor is he a scientist, yet he has been very vocal about his vaccine skepticism and has promoted misinformation about vaccine safety.

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How can Practice Managers get more recognition (and reward) for what we do?

Practice Index

We are the invisible engine of primary care that often goes unnoticed until it stalls. GP Practice Managers us multitasking marvels who keep surgeries running smoothly frequently operate in the shadows, our contributions overlooked despite being absolutely vital. Those are the words of a Manchester-based Practice Manager who was talking to us following a recent article by Kay Keane asking What is a Practice Manager Worth?.

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Insights from Digital Health Leaders at ViVE 2025

EvidenceCare

Innovation, AI, and the Future of Patient Care At the ViVE conference leaders in digital health shared their experiences and forward-thinking strategies for improving patient care, streamlining operations, and integrating technology into clinical workflows. In this special edition of The Better Care Podcast , EvidenceCares Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Dr.

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Why shadowing Vinay Prasad convinced me to become an oncologist

Sensible Medicine

Colton Lipfert is an incoming medical student at an east coast medical school. He has worked in the vkprasadlab for the last few years and recently shadowed. When I finished shadowing Dr. Vinay Prasad, I was convinced I had to become an oncologist. When I told him this, he was a little surprised. The day’s work had been downright ordinary for him.

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The Impact of Misdemeanors for Ohio Medical Assistants

Legal Eye on Medical Assisting

I recently received the following question from an Ohio attorney: I represent a client who tells me that she is a licensed medical assistant in Ohio.

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Cyberattack on Sunflower Medical Group Affects 221,000 Patients

The HIPAA Journal

Cyberattacks and data breaches have been announced by Sunflower Medical Group, The Center for Digestive Health, NVW Newco, Endless Mountains Health Systems, and the Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System. Sunflower Medical Group, Kansas Sunflower Medical Group, a private multi-specialty medical group with four care centers in Kansas City, Lenexa, and Roeland Park in Kansas, has suffered a data breach involving the personal and protected health information of 220,968 i