Healthcare facilities must safeguard patient information from unauthorized access; however, an exposed screen can easily compromise this information. Visual privacy is especially critical when screens are visible to patients, visitors, or unauthorized personnel. Privacy screen protectors can play a role in preventing visual hacks.
Repositioning or even relocating monitors isn’t always feasible. A privacy screen protector, or filter, is designed to secure sensitive information without disrupting workflows. To better meet the compliance and disinfection needs of healthcare, Seal Shield developed the HIPAA-compliant Clean Seal™ Privacy Screen Protector to aid in improving information privacy.
What’s New in the HIPAA Security Rule?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was established in 1996 to help protect patient information. Over the years, updates, like the HITECH Act in 2009, have strengthened safeguards. Yet, the rapid evolution of technology and cyber threats has revealed gaps.
Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed updates to the HIPAA Security Rule. The proposal addresses increasing cyberattacks and compliance issues. This development has captured attention across the healthcare sector due to its implications for protecting electronic protected health information (ePHI).
OCR proposes updated definitions for areas including administrative, physical, and technical safeguards. Some of these details are:
- Administrative Safeguards: Policies and procedures for managing ePHI security measures and workforce conduct.
- Physical Safeguards: Protections for facilities and equipment housing ePHI, replacing “buildings” with “facilities” for clarity.
- Workstations: Expanded to include servers, desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and virtual devices.
What This Means for the Healthcare Industry
These updates signal a need to reevaluate and revamp cybersecurity protocols. Organizations must prioritize risk assessments, workforce training, and update safeguards to meet compliance requirements.
While the proposed changes are not likely to eliminate all breaches, they aim to reduce vulnerabilities and enable quicker responses to cyber incidents. And, if finalized, healthcare organizations will have 240 days from the publication date to implement the new standards. This window ensures enough time to adapt while addressing security improvements.
Discussions often focus on technology, but physical vulnerabilities can be equally damaging. Any unauthorized disclosure of patient information, including someone reading ePHI on an exposed computer screen, can lead to a HIPAA violation. This is where a screen protector can help play a role in upholding visual privacy.

How do privacy screen protectors work?
A privacy screen protector attaches to a desktop monitor or mobile device screen for practical protection. The slim panel restricts the entire device’s viewing angle, allowing only the individual positioned in front of the screen to see the information. From the side, the screen appears black or blurred.
Clean Seal™ Privacy Screen Protectors are your screen’s and data’s first line of defense with multi-layer technology for additional tensile strength with the goal of achieving exceptional screen protection.
How effective are privacy screens?
Screen privacy filters can be highly effective in reducing visual data breaches in public spaces. Professionals use them in high-traffic areas like reception desks, nursing stations, or shared workspaces where sensitive information is at risk of being viewed by visual hackers.
Filters are a cost-effective option in enhancing ePHI protection. They are easy to install, require no ongoing maintenance, and can be applied to different device types.
Are privacy screens HIPAA-compliant?
Although HIPAA does not explicitly mandate privacy screen protectors, using them aligns with the emphasis on reasonable safeguards.
Privacy screens are not a standalone solution. They can, however, work as part of a broader strategy that includes staff training and proper workstation positioning.

Additional Features
Unlike standard screen protectors that rely on a flip over film, Clean Seal™ Privacy Screen Protectors employ an adhesive. This convenient semi-permanent solution helps the 2-way privacy filter maintain security over onscreen patient data.
Beyond privacy, Clean Seal™ also offers extra features, including:
- Physical Screen Protection: These protectors were developed to shield your device’s screen from scratches, smudges, and minor impacts. This added layer of durability helps extend a device’s lifespan.
- Custom Cut: Clean Seal™ is custom-cut to fit various size devices, ranging from cell phones and tablets to computer screens.
- Reduced Glare: Anti-glare coatings reduce reflections to make screens easier to read. This feature can assist in bright environments with harsh fluorescent lights or near a window.
- UV-Resistance: Clean Seal™ Screen Protectors include filters that block harmful UV and blue light emissions. Their UV-resistance also enables them to be disinfected with UV sanitization systems widely used in healthcare without any device screen damage.
- Compatible with Medical-Grade Disinfectants: Not only do Clean Seal™ Privacy Screen Protectors keep you compliant, they also help reduce the risk of cross-contamination with their purposeful design that stands up to the harshest of cleaners.
Remain Clean and Compliant with Clean Seal Privacy Screens
The proposed updates to the HIPAA Security Rule reflect the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures in healthcare. While these changes focus on high-tech solutions, low-tech ones, like visual privacy, are just as important. An effective tool as simple as a privacy screen can help you address that need. Fill out the eval request form to get your Clean Seal™ Privacy Screen Protector today. Protect patient data, maintain compliance, and keep every screen clean across your organization in an increasingly digital world.