The market for clinical trials is experiencing significant momentum in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Private equity (PE) investment in Clinical Research Organizations (CROs) and Site Management Organizations (SMOs) is being spurred by site consolidation, expansion of specialized services, and technology innovation. These firms are important players in the pipeline of drug development and the best targets for investors who wish to capitalize on healthcare innovation.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has officially launched its third round of HIPAA audits, following previous assessments in 2012 and 2016. Learn 8 easy ways to prepare for an OCR HIPAA compliance audit and safeguard your health information against rising cyber threats. Past audits revealed widespread compliance gaps, prompting increased oversight.
In Part 1 of this blog, I provide an overview of OCR’s proposed changes to the HIPAA Security Rule, some commentary on the background, rationale and the potential impact on healthcare, descriptions of key changes in definitions, and OCR’s broader themes. In Part 2, I will dive into specific proposed new or updated standards and implementation specifications and speculate on what may happen next.
