Minnesota experienced problems this year when laptops containing patient data were stolen from Fairview Health in Minneapolis and North Memorial in Robbinsdale. The state's breaches are only part of a larger national trend, however. In 15 months, the Dept. of Health and Human Services found more than 50 laptops were stolen from hospitals, clinics and medical centers across the country.
Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn is so concerned about hackers that he questioned whether electronic health records are even worth the risk, according to the report.
Sen. Franken, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, complained that HHS has not implemented firm penalties and enforcement, and that few breaches have been prosecuted. He asked Leon Rodriguez, director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS, when enforcement rules would be finalized. Mr. Rodriguez was unable to offer a timeline, prompting Sen. Franken to tell him to "hurry up," according to the report.
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