When it comes to privacy and security, healthcare IT leaders have their hands full.

Whether it's dealing with an increase in cyberattacks, BYOD, insider threats, HIPAA and HITECH regulatory requirements or myriad other challenges, the pressure to safeguard personal health information, as well as the penalties for failing to do so, have never been greater.

The Privacy & Security Forum, which will take place in San Diego, June 16-17, is being presented by HIMSS Media and Healthcare IT News to help healthcare organizations address these challenges and mitigate risk throughout their organizations.

The two-day event includes 20 sessions and 33 speakers, many of them healthcare IT privacy and security experts from such respected provider organizations as the Mayo Clinic, UPMC, Kaiser Permanente, Scripps Health and Intermountain Healthcare.

The forum emphasizes peer-to-peer learning, and speakers will share their experiences, expertise and best practices for protecting data and mitigating risk. The event also includes many networking opportunities.

"Hospitals and other healthcare organizations are searching for solutions and best practices that address today’s top privacy and security challenges," said Mike Moran, the forum's program manager. "We've created the forum to meet the needs of CIOs, CISOs and other senior healthcare IT leaders. The information is practical, solutions-based and actionable."

Forum agenda

Jim Doggett, senior vice president, chief security officer and chief technology risk officer for Kaiser Permanente, will deliver the opening keynote on June 16.

In his keynote address, "Manage Risk And Take Hold Of The Future," Doggett will provide a big-picture perspective on the evolving nature of healthcare privacy and security and the key role risk management will play in defining the future of healthcare.

"Everything about a given organization's technology portfolio is in a near or constant state of change – technologies change; member requirements change; usage changes, and the threat landscape changes," Doggett said. "Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the risks these changes pose. Risk management can help an organization identify, prioritize and manage the issues and risks they face, addressing those that are most important to the organization."

Other forum speakers and sessions include:

• Iliana Peters, senior advisor for HIPAA compliance and enforcement, HHS Office for Civil Rights – "HIPAA Update: Office for Civil Rights"
• Mark Parkulo, MD, vice chair, meaningful use coordinating committee, Mayo Clinic – "Case Study: How The Mayo Clinic Developed A Robust, Secure Patient Portal"
• John Houston, vice president, privacy and information security & associate counsel, UPMC – "Mitigate Employee, Vendor and Other Insider Threats"
• Michael Allred, identity and access team manager, Intermountain Healthcare – "Frontline Perspective: Combating Cyber Crime in Healthcare"
• Ron Mehring, chief security officer/director of information security, Texas Health Resources – "Security Roundtable: What Keeps You Up At Night?"
• Dena Boggan, HIPAA privacy/security officer, St. Dominic Hospital – "Group Discussion: How Do You Create A Culture Of Privacy And Security?"
• Michael Boyd, chief information security officer, Providence Health & Services – "Top Providers Discuss Their Approach To Managing BYOD Risk"
• Ann Patterson, senior vice president and program director, Medical Identity Fraud Alliance – "The High Price of Medical Identity Fraud"

The forum includes a networking reception from 5:15-6:30 p.m. on June 16, and multiple other opportunities to interact with attendees, sponsors and speakers. It will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego.

Learn more at http://www.healthprivacyforum.com