Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a law that protects patient health information. HIPAA has security standards in place to keep personal health information secure. HIPAA also has privacy rules that protect individuals’ access to their own medical records. HIPAA applies to all businesses and organizations that provide some form of “health care” to patients. HIPAA regulations are in place to protect the privacy of individual records and shield patient data against internet hackers, physical theft of computers, etc. HIPAA violations can come with steep penalties for businesses found non-compliant so it is necessary for all HIPAA-covered entities to implement HIPAA regulations into practice policies and procedures and ensure all individuals with access to patient information receive the proper training. Below are ten best practices for HIPAA compliant that can help you to avoid the risk of serious fines and lawsuits:
1) Don’t post PHI on social media
Patient health information, including names, photos, phone numbers, and addresses, should not be posted on social media by any entity protected by HIPAA rules. This would violate HIPAA’s Privacy Rule’s patient access to medical records and HIPAA’s Security Rule by not properly protecting it from cyber-attacks.
2) Have a HIPAA Compliant plan in place
HIPAA-covered entities should have HIPAA compliance plans that include HIPAA policies, procedures, training, etc. These would replace the need for checklists of HIPAA Rules because HIPAA compliance plans are more comprehensive (while checklists can outline HIPAA regulations, they lack context). A comprehensive HIPAA compliance plan will go beyond HIPAA privacy and security rules to incorporate other HIPAA administrative simplification standards. This ensures all aspects of healthcare operations are compliant with HIPAA.
3) Train employees on PHI safety
All personnel handling or accessing PHI must be HIPAA compliant. HIPAA compliance training should be required for all HIPAA-covered entities, including employees and contractors (part-time, temporary). HIPAA compliance training must include HIPAA privacy rules, HIPAA security rules, HIPAA breach notification policies, incident response requirements, and other HIPAA administrative simplification standards.
4) Have a Security Risk Plan
HIPAA-covered entities should have policies in place to assess risks to PHI. This would require the identification of internal and external threats as well as vulnerabilities to those threats. It is important to perform regular risk assessments because new vulnerabilities are discovered daily that can compromise patient health information or put HIPAA-regulated data at risk of exposure by cybercriminals looking to exploit them for financial gain (identity theft, medical fraud).
5) HIPAA compliant software
Must-have HIPAA-covered entities can use HIPAA compliant software to manage HIPAA compliance. HIPAA compliant cloud storage is particularly helpful in the event of an incident response requiring law enforcement interaction. It has added security measures such as two-factor authentication and audited access controls that make it harder for hackers to break into. HIPAA compliant software also enables PHI to be encrypted, making PHI unusable by unauthorized parties if they somehow gain access to the data (e.g., stolen laptop, hacked database).
6) Password Protection
HIPAA-covered entities need password-protected devices used to access patient information (e.g., workstations, laptops, cell phones). In the event a HIPAA-covered entity’s devices are stolen, HIPAA rules require the individual responsible for HIPAA compliance to ensure such devices be encrypted and password protected so patient data is not compromised in the event of theft.
7) HIPAA Auditing
HIPAA-covered entities should regularly perform audits to determine if HIPAA-regulated data is being accessed by unauthorized parties or used in ways that violate HIPAA rules (e.g., medical fraud). Audits may include interviews with employees who have regular access to PHI records. Their attitudes towards HIPAA compliance can indicate how well HIPAA policies are enforced throughout an organization.
8) Encrypt Patient Health Information (PHI)
HIPAA-covered entities must encrypt all PHI sent over public networks (e.g., internet, email), while PHI stored on laptops should be encrypted as well. HIPAA compliance software can also help HIPAA-covered entities automate the encryption process. HIPAA rules require HIPAA-covered entities to protect PHI at rest and in transit because PHI should not be accessible by unauthorized parties, even if they gain access to it (e.g., stolen laptops).
9) Limit PHI
HIPAA-covered entities must limit which employees or business associates have access to PHI. This prevents unauthorized parties from accessing patient records. The fewer people with access to PHI, the less chance of a HIPAA violation occurring (e.g., HIPAA breach, inappropriate disclosure of PHI).
10) HIPAA Data Backup
HIPAA compliance would dictate that HIPAA-covered entities regularly back up all their data, including HIPAA-regulated patient data. This ensures data can be restored in the event of a disaster or HIPAA violation (e.g., ransomware attack) that results in the loss of PHI and/or other business data. HIPAA compliance software can automate HIPAA policies for HIPAA-covered entities that manage patient records using electronic health records (EHRs).
Conclusion:
HIPAA compliance is a top priority for healthcare providers because it ensures the security of patient data. Take these ten steps to ensure your business is compliant and you can rest easy knowing that your organization’s information technology systems are secure.
Medical ITG helps their clients with everything from HIPAA compliance & security risk assessment, to reporting services like EMR/EHR; We will be there for you. Call us today at (877) 220-8774 or email [email protected].
