Paubox Weekly: Read receipts added to Paubox Texting

Hello world,

Today’s Paubox Weekly is 543 words - a 2 minute read.

Want to get this type of content delivered to your inbox every Friday? Subscribe to Paubox Weekly. 

1. Read receipts added to Paubox Texting

Paubox Texting now supports read receipts. This applies to HIPAA compliant text messages sent to both iPhone and Android devices.

What's next: Next up, we're building out support for attachments.

Why it matters: The market wants an omnichannel, HIPAA compliant communication solution. We know this because our customers are asking for it.

We're building it!

2. Legal storm brews for healthcare amid third-party tracking concerns

A recent report from law firm BakerHostetler shows the legal risk healthcare faces from using third-party tracking pixels and web analytics tools. 

What was said: “The OCR is asking covered entities to read the minds of visitors to their public websites to ascertain why they’re there ..., further demonstrating the OCR’s unfamiliarity with how these technologies work.”

Over 200 lawsuits have been filed

3. MedStar Health compromises more than 184,000 patient records

MedStar Health Inc., a prominent healthcare provider in Maryland, revealed a cybersecurity breach affecting more than 184,000 individuals.

What happened: The breach occurred when an unauthorized party gained access to emails and files belonging to three employees between January and October 2023.

Patient information included in the emails accessed

4. MGMA asks OCR to hold Change responsible for breach notifications

The Medical Group Management Association is requesting the OCR hold UnitedHealth and Change Healthcare responsible for alerting individuals of the massive breach.

What's new: Change discovered the network breach as early as February 21st. According to one lawsuit, Change should have submitted an initial breach report by or on April 21st.

Will the OCR agree that providers are innocent?

5. Finalized HIPAA changes to strengthen reproductive healthcare privacy

The HHS's new Final Rule bolsters privacy protections for individuals seeking or obtaining lawful reproductive healthcare services.

Key takeaways: The Final Rule shields reproductive health data from being accessed, used, or disclosed for criminal, civil, or administrative investigations or liability imposition on individuals seeking or providing such care.

Reproductive services cannot be used as grounds for legal action

Community links

• Virtual care in the real world - ATA Nexus 2024. Link
• Built for healthcare marketing - Swaay.Health Live 2024. Link
• Speed up billing with HIPAA compliant forms. Link
• 3 new state data privacy laws set for July 1 rollout. Link
• OrthoConnecticut data breach exposes over 118,000 patients. Link
• What is domain hijacking? Link
• How to train staff on HIPAA email requirements. Link
• What is a malicious email content script? Link
• The role of consent management in HIPAA compliant communication. Link
• What is the NPP exception for inmates? Link
• When is PHI subject to mandatory reporting? Link
• The real difference between treatment and marketing emails. Link

Good reads from around the web

• Key Takeaways from OCR’s CY22 HIPAA Reports to Congress. Link
• What will be the downstream effects of the Change Healthcare cyberattack? Link
• Cloud-based AI services could help fight health misinformation. Link
• Stack Overflow users sabotage their posts after OpenAI deal. Link
•  Biden administration rolls out international cybersecurity plan. Link

What happened last week