HIPAA / Healthcare Industry

Organizations within and adjacent to the healthcare industry must comply with HIPAA regarding their interactions involving protected health information (PHI). The HIPAA Security Rule outlines safeguards for patient data security risk management to help healthcare organizations minimize risk to PHI. Managing risks to PHI security is of the utmost importance and can help your organization mitigate data breaches. Read on to learn how. 

According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), two groups are primarily responsible for maintaining HIPAA compliance. Covered entities are the most readily assumed, but another, known as business associates, also interact with electronic health records (EHR) and protected health information (PHI). These organizations must be contracted via a HIPAA business associate agreement and are held to stringent standards of confidentiality and professionalism.

Given the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s (HIPAA) extensive protections and restrictions regarding electronic protected health information (ePHI), cell phones present a challenging grey area to navigate. However, implementing a HIPAA-compliant cell phone policy and appropriate security controls will help your healthcare organization properly adhere to regulations.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is one of the US’s best-known and wide-ranging regulations. It impacts all covered entities within the health sector and extends to many business associates who work with them.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) designates forms of patient-related records that need to be protected. These records are “protected health information” (PHI).

One of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) pillars is protection against external threats. Many of its considerations concern cybercriminals seeking to attack your company from a position outside your perimeter.

Healthcare risk assessment tools are a crucial component of cybersecurity that ensures the safety of your patient data and critical systems in your healthcare practice.    

15 percent of all cyber-attacks targeted the healthcare industry in 2020, with most of those threats being malware and ransomware attacks. However, due to technological advancement in the healthcare sector, emerging security threats are on the rise. 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to adapt to a new normal. Work from home mandates pushed some firms to become fully remote, while others had to shutter completely. Severely impacted healthcare providers were on the frontlines navigating the virus and re-configuring their workspaces, personnel, and patient relationships. Telemedicine has also been widely adopted and expanded during the pandemic.

Businesses within and adjacent to the healthcare industry must follow strenuous controls to safeguard the class of data known as “protected health information” (PHI). Per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), de-identification is one central protection element. An innovative option available to businesses that need HIPAA compliance is an approach called “safe harbor.”