Data security has become crucial in the healthcare sector since patient privacy is based on HIPAA compliance and safe deployment of electronic health records (EHR).
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was a component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, and it demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to promoting the widespread adoption of EHR.
Sanctions were applied to healthcare companies who did not improve their infrastructure by 2015 in order to store medical records electronically.
Patient confidentiality is crucial, and no one working in the healthcare industry wants a data breach, a patient information compromise, or a fine for not complying. Every organization or covered entity must follow HIPAA compliance checklist.
What is HIPAA compliance, and why is it important?
The federal law known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was passed in the United States of America. It was primarily designed to:
Improve the portability and consistency of health insurance coverage.
Eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in the provision of and insurance for healthcare.
This includes putting the Security Rule, Privacy Rule, and Breach Notification Rule into effect.
Encourage the use of medical savings accounts by imposing a ceiling on how much money each person can put away in pre-tax accounts.
Increasing long-term care services’ availability and coverage. Pre-existing conditions are also covered for individuals.
Clarify employer tax deductions and other sources of tax income.
Top HIPAA Violations
Here are a few of the most typical HIPAA infractions:
Unauthorized staff disclosure of patient information
If healthcare professionals talk to their coworkers or loved ones about patients, they risk receiving significant penalties and other costs. Anyone who works with you should be aware that they should only speak with patients in private settings and should never divulge a patient’s health information to anyone without that person’s explicit written consent. Hackers often use social engineering as a strategy. By tricking a member of your staff, the attackers try to gain access to systems that contain or process ePHI.
Device theft or loss
If your unencrypted laptop, smartphone, or other device is stolen or lost, you risk receiving a violation. Due to their portability and frequent use in transit, mobile devices are more likely to be stolen than desktop computers. For this reason, it is crucial to utilise data encryption, password security, and multi-factor authentication on these devices.
Improper disposal
You must always dispose of protected health information (PHI) rather than leaving documents exposed. This rule applies to both physical and digital PHI.
Access via unsafe websites Many people who work in the healthcare industry access health data on their personal devices and put in late-night shifts. This fact can have catastrophic repercussions. For instance, if a computer file is left open, a family member can see health information. Another possibility is that a family member unintentionally installed malware, giving attackers access to find and steal the data.