This is an overview of the Security Rule’s essential provisions, including who is covered, what data is protected, and what security measures must be in place to ensure that electronic protected health information is properly protected.
It only covers the broad outline of the Security Rule; it does not go into specifics of each item.
HIPAA specifies technical protections for needs related to access controls, data in motion, and data at rest. A covered entity must put in place technological policies and procedures that limit access to PHI data storage systems to those who have been authorised access rights. Every user must have a distinct user identification (ID).
This ID is employed for user identification and activity monitoring when they access PHI. Audit controls must be put in place in order to keep track of and allow for examination of PHI access and processing activity.
Automatic logoff must be developed to end a user’s session after a set amount of inactivity to safeguard the user account from being left unattended.
HIPAA mandates the implementation of a PHI encryption and decryption mechanism. Only when it is “reasonable and acceptable” is it stated explicitly when data is to be encrypted or decrypted.
Given this versatility, PHI should be encrypted both while it’s in use and when it’s not. The data confidentiality need of PHI when it is transferred, received, maintained, and stored is directly addressed by encryption.
The choice of an encryption technique, the specifics of its implementation, and its application are left up to the covered entity.
The covered entity must put policies and procedures in place to protect PHI against improper alteration or destruction in order to preserve the integrity of PHI data. Additionally, it must set up emergency access protocols for collecting and using PHI in an emergency.
Security Requirements
A covered entity that creates, receives, uses, or maintains electronic personal health information about people must adhere to national security regulations set forth under the HIPAA Security Rule.
In order to guarantee the confidentiality, integrity, and security of electronic protected health information, the Security Rule mandates the use of the proper administrative, physical, and technical protections.
Privacy needs and security requirements are closely related, and classification of data may usually be used to derive them.
The right administrative, physical, and technical safeguards can be determined once an organization has been given a suitable categorization based on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data.