Staying informed about all of the cyber security compliance standards is essential to keeping your company safe from hackers. Read on to learn about the various steps you can take to stay up to date with your industry’s compliance standards.
Every time you visit a hospital or a private doctor’s office, you’re asked a variety of personal questions. These can include details about your lifestyle, medical history, address, insurance, and other sensitive information. Naturally, you expect this information to remain confidential under doctor-patient confidentiality. Protected health information (PHI) is exactly that type of data. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), any information that can identify a patient and relates to their health status, treatment, or payment for healthcare services is considered PHI. Unauthorized disclosure of PHI violates HIPAA’s Privacy and Security Rules and can result in significant fines and penalties for healthcare providers.
When thinking about PHI, consider these questions: How is this data stored and protected? What exactly qualifies as protected health information? And how can healthcare organizations and their business associates ensure patient privacy while remaining compliant with HIPAA?