Compliance Standards

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) exists to secure protected health information (PHI). Most companies that provide healthcare services and their strategic partners need to implement HIPAA controls to protect stakeholders from cybercrime threats. Want to know if your company is a HIPAA-covered entity? Keep reading to discover if you are and what HIPAA compliance entails.

Healthcare organizations and their partners face growing privacy and security risks when handling patient data. To safeguard this information, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) sets strict requirements.

One of its most important provisions is the HIPAA Security Rule, which outlines how electronic protected health information (ePHI) must be stored, transmitted, and accessed securely.

The Security Rule is built on three main components that every covered entity and business associate must follow. Understanding these components is essential for compliance, and for protecting sensitive patient data against cyber threats.

When working toward HIPAA compliance, it is crucial to understand exactly what is considered PHI under HIPAA. PHI, or Protected Health Information, refers to any patient data that can be used to identify an individual and relates to their medical history, treatments, or payment for healthcare services.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule sets strict guidelines for how organizations must handle PHI to protect patients’ confidentiality. By understanding what qualifies as PHI, healthcare providers and their business associates can remain compliant, avoid costly penalties, and maintain patient trust.