Problem
As Sam was entering his dental office, he saw his boss Alan speaking to the receptionist to set future appointments. Right after Alan left, the receptionist went to lunch. Sam was curious about Alan's dental treatments and went behind the receptionist desk and saw on her computer that Alan had made an appointment for a root canal for next week. The next day, Sam sympathized with Alan regarding his impending root canal. Alan was furious that Sam was privy to his medical information and called the dental office threatening to file a HIPAA complaint. Which HIPAA standard did the dental office fail comply with, and what measures can be taken in the future prevent these kinds of incidents?