HIPAA / Healthcare Industry

It is easy to imagine the kind of challenges doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals face when fighting to keep us healthy. There is no need to add the extra pressure that comes with a potential cyberattack. Without a robust security architecture, your patients’ data is at risk of exposure, which could pose a severe privacy risk. But without proper staff training, the potential fallout can compound, which in the worst case could result in loss of life.

Cybersecurity threats in healthcare can cause dire financial and legal damage to organizations as hackers test the healthcare industry’s security and resilience.

For businesses in the healthcare industry, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is essential for keeping clients and stakeholders safe. HIPAA defines what counts as “protected health information” (PHI), and its three prescriptive rules (Privacy, Security, and Breach Reporting) ensure its protection. The fourth, the HIPAA Enforcement Rule, defines what happens when a company fails to follow the other three. 

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) significantly improved the healthcare industry’s cybersecurity landscape. HIPAA’s impacts went beyond the healthcare practices and associated businesses; there are also several HIPAA patient rights granted to healthcare consumers. At the most basic level, these include reasonable expectations of privacy and access. Let’s take a closer look.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) has helped healthcare providers protect patients’ information for over 20 years. However, over the years, the number and complexity of cyber threats have grown exponentially. Many companies turn to HIPAA penetration testing to protect their stakeholders and outpace cybercriminals who view healthcare providers as lucrative targets. 

Companies in the healthcare industry are attractive targets for cybercrime. That’s why the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) developed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to define and safeguard protected health information (PHI). Initially, HIPAA focused on the privacy and security of PHI to curb the number of cyberattacks. But with the passing of the HITECH Act, HHS built on the original framework to specify what companies should do when a HIPAA breach does happen.

During the pandemic, our gratitude for healthcare workers is growing all the more. Yet, grateful as we are, cybersecurity is another burden added to the load healthcare workers already carry. 

Members of the cybersecurity community recognize that there are security challenges in healthcare, and this article will explore them.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has a necessary provision that protects individuals’ electronic personal health information. This is the Security Rule and it covers how these electronic data is created, received, processed and maintained by a covered entity. Understanding HIPAA Security Rule requirements will help keep all stakeholders protected.

Healthcare facilities gather and manage volumes of critical patient information that, if lost or stolen, could result in patient identity theft and delayed care. In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, prompted lawmakers to build a set of privacy laws governing the management and security of patient information.

HIPAA laws exist to maintain the integrity of all healthcare services by protecting patient privacy. As such, the consequences of  HIPAA violations can cripple a healthcare business for years. Some organizations never recover from their damaged reputation and the financial burdens associated with remediation and penalties.