State information-collection systems are storing patient information in massive databases but often without patients' consent, according to a report from a consumer advocacy group.

An office burglary at Advocate Medical Group (AGM) in Park Ridge, Ill., put the protected health information of more than four million patients at risk.

Several organizations have launched the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance—a public-private effort seeking to unite stakeholders in developing solutions and best practices to prevent, detect and remediate medical identity fraud—and they are looking for additional entities to join their ranks.

An unfortunate mistake resulted in a group of medical center students receiving an email attachment listing protected health information on all 2,281 students.

An email from Alaska-based Hope Community Resources that had meant to promote a survey of clients and stakeholders instead included attachments with confidential information of its 3,700 disabled clients that contract with Hope, according to an Aug. 20 article in Alaska Dispatch.

The Center for Internet Security announced an initiative to help bolster the protection of internet-enabled medical devices from cyber attacks. CIS has issued a request for information to U.S. medical device manufacturers to invite voluntary participation in the development of security control guidelines for reducing cyber risk to medical devices.

An Idaho hospital CEO has been charged with spying on a former hospital physician by tapping phone calls.

The Department of Health & Human Services Office of Civil Rights has been warning healthcare providers to conduct risk analyses and act on any deficiencies discovered. A settlement between the government and Affinity Health Plan confirms that this advice is worth heeding.