Compliance and risk
Data breach
A data breach is an event in which private information is seen, used or taken by someone who has no permission to have it.
In the HIPAA setting, HHS says a breach is, generally, an impermissible use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information.
Examples include a stolen laptop, a hacked email account, a misdirected fax or a staff member who looks at a chart without a work reason. Ransomware can also cause a breach.
HIPAA has a Breach Notification Rule that says what a covered entity must do next. Timing and steps depend on the facts, so call an attorney or compliance adviser at once. Prevention starts with the safeguards in the HIPAA Security Rule.