For healthcare organizations, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is not an option. Each insured is bound by HIPAA provisions.
All transactions involving patient electronic health information are subject to HIPAA security rules. Security rules are technical and are a compilation of specific information technology best practices and standards.
Below are 3 important things you need to know about HIPAA safety rules.
Good encryption: Encryption provides security in the event of a security breach. This is not a direct requirement of the security rules. Encryption ensures that you are not responsible for patient electronic information on laptops, desktops, and other portable devices. For example, if an encrypted device with electronically protected patient data (ePHI) is stolen, the healthcare provider is not obligated to report the incident. The encryption password must be strong and must not be transmitted.
All Employees Must Be Trained in HIPAA Security: The HIPAA Security Rules require affected organizations to provide security training to all their employees. This training is mandatory. In addition, after training, employees receive regular security reminders to keep them informed about effective ePHI safeguards.
Risk Assessment Required: A risk assessment is required to understand how ePHI is protected and to determine whether additional precautions are required. HIPAA safety rules are based on sound risk assessment. The results of the risk assessment provide information about the differences in ePHI and how these can be resolved.
Healthcare organizations require the collection, storage, and use of sensitive personal health data from patients. This is why protecting protected data is so important.