How to Ensure that Your Business is HIPAA Compliant Whether you have employed an efficient receptionist or are using a medical answering service, it is of utmost importance that patient sensitive information is protected. Businesses that handle protected health information are required to set up security measures that protect the information of their patients. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is in place to ensure that companies comply with a high standard of protection when it comes to confidential patient information. This act applies to entities that provide medical treatment, require payment, and conduct operations that are pertinent to the healthcare industry. In essence, HIPAA addresses the act of saving, accessing, and sharing any medical information on both physical and electronic platforms. To ensure that your business is HIPAA compliant, it is recommended that a technical safeguard is put into place by means of a reliable telecommunications company. Whether you need a doctor’s answering service or an emergency answering service, your top priority should be ensuring the protection of your patients’ sensitive information. Personalized Communications offers complete medical call center solutions that are secure, reliable, and comprehensive. If you are shopping around for a telecommunications service provider, be sure to ask comprehensive questions that will guarantee the protection of your clients’ information. Follow these steps to ensure that your business is HIPAA compliant:
Physical Precautions The protection of patient sensitive information is a step that is both detailed and important. Physical precautions include limited access and control to servers or files that contain confidential information. For a company to be HIPAA compliant, it must have policies in place that are recognized by all employees and service providers. This applies to the electronic and manual transferring, sharing, and storing of information, which applies to acts of sending information via fax, scan, email, or postal delivery and the storage of data in shared files or cloud-hosted servers. Ensure that all means of access are protected by various security procedures to ensure that a select group of employees can access the information at any specific time.
Technical Precautions Once your physical safeguards are put into place, ensure that technical precautions follow suit. These include the following: ● Access control: This will allow access to authorized personnel by means of unique user IDs, passwords, a dynamic and reliable emergency access procedure, automated log offs, and an encryption and decryption process.
� Reporting: Audit reports and tracking logs should be implemented to ensure that records of activity are kept on both hardware and software. This can be used to identify the source of any security violations if they do occur. � Integrity Controls: It is of utmost importance that measures are put in place to ensure that information has not been deleted or changed. Recovery and backup procedures are also important when it comes to retrieving data in an accurate manner. Network Precautions The security of transmission ties in with both technical and physical precautions. Both steps will ensure that all data is transmitted in a secure manner, whether it is via email or a private cloud. Network precautions will ensure that sensitive data is protected from unauthorised public access. Protect your client’s medical information and ensure that your business is HIPAA compliant by following simple yet imperative steps. Not only will you avoid sticky legal matters, you will also prevent the dissatisfaction of your clients. Boost your reputation by building a client base that relies on your business for efficient, reliable and secure services.