OCR Change Signals Renewed Privacy Focus for HIM Leaders

Sept 22, 2017

MRO’s Rita Bowen, MA, RHIA, CHPS, CHPC, SSGB, Vice President, Privacy, Compliance and HIM Policy, offers her insight in an article posted to the Journal of AHIMA titled “OCR Change Signals Renewed Privacy Focus for HIM Leaders.”

The recent defunding of the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) position by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) makes practical sense for the healthcare industry and the national budget. The position has been vacant for the past year, and during this time Deven McGraw has successfully served as acting CPO and deputy director for health information privacy at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). McGraw has proven effective in filling both roles and will remain with OCR.

However, with the change come four important privacy strategies for health information management (HIM) leaders to consider employing at the state, local, and organizational level.

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Rita Bowen, MA, RHIA, CHPS, CHPC, SSGB

Bowen is an established author and speaker on healthcare privacy and security. She is an active member of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), having served as its President and Board Chair, as a member of the Board of Directors and of the Council on Certification, and currently sits on the AHIMA Foundation Board of Directors. In her role at MRO, Bowen works with clients to ensure HIM policies and procedures are to code. Additionally, Bowen serves as the company’s Privacy and Compliance Officer (CPO).