The first article I read was based on Apple's iHealth app that is
available on the iphone and ipad. It summarizes the various features
available and how Apple uses the information. It states that is in
unclear if Apple is HIPAA compliant based on the fact it is
undetermined if they are considered business associates or not
because technically they are not accessing your health record. c Apple
concludes it does not store any PHI it only allows for the information
to be retrieved from the medical provider and that if you choose to
store your information on the icloud that information is encrypted
(HIPAA Compliance, Is Apple Compliant, or Are They Avoiding Their
Ethical Responsibilities? | Jhbl, n.d.). This seems very sketchy to me,
and makes me glad I don't use that app at all!
The second article I read was about a Tricare data breach that
happened a few years ago. In the breach the back up tapes were
stolen from an employees car. In my opinion an employee should not
have been able to transport the tapes in a manner that had them
leaving the tapes in the car. As a VA employee I have laptop that I use
to access PHI all the time and I don't leave it in the car ever. I am also
lock it in the hotel room safe if I am not in my room. Another way this
could have been prevented was to have the tapes encrypted. The
article said the judge dismissed the class action lawsuit, but it is my
opinion that privacy was violated in this instance and that employee
did not adhere to the code of ethics as they did not do everything to
protect the data. This particular breach however justifies the use of
cloud based storage versus physical back ups!
HIPAA Compliance, Is Apple Compliant, or Are They Avoiding Their
Ethical Responsibilities? | jhbl. (n.d.). Sites.suffolk.edu. Retrieved June
2, 2022, from https://sites.suffolk.edu/jhbl/2018/11/15/hipaa-
compliance-is-apple-compliant-or-are-they-avoiding-their-ethical-
responsibilities/#:~:text=%20Apple%20should%20comply%20with%
20the%20Health%20Insurance
Court Dismisses Most of Class-Action Lawsuit From 2011 TRICARE Data
Breach. (n.d.). Www.beckershospitalreview.com. Retrieved June 2,
2022, from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-
regulatory-issues/court-dismisses-most-of-class-action-lawsuit-
from-2011-tricare-data-breach.html?oly_enc_id=9152I9908523H8N
