Akerman attorney Ameer Al-Khudari was quoted in Renal and Urology News discussing proposed HIPAA Security Rule changes. Ameer noted that the proposed changes address new cybersecurity threats and reflect advancements in technology and data storage practices.  He emphasized that the proposed changes, if finalized, would create a more demanding and less flexible compliance environment, posing significant financial and operational challenges, especially for small providers, rural hospitals, and employer-sponsored health plans.

Ameer also suggested regulated entities confirm compliance with existing Security Rule requirements and consider preemptive implementation while awaiting finalization of the proposed changes.

“Organizations may also want to assess whether it may be prudent to proactively implement some of the updates in the proposed rule as part of their ongoing efforts to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their ePHI,” Ameer told the publication.