Netgain

HIPAA audits are underway, and every Covered Entity and Business Associate has their name in the hat. You never know when you will be audited. It is best to be prepared.

From my experience working with our client base and others in the industry, I see some common items come up with audits. Do you have these five issues covered?

There are very big concerns about IT Security in this age of mobile healthcare technology.  In order to abide by federal regulations, healthcare personnel and facilities must safeguard patients' records and privacy.  This is especially important in view of the proliferation of mobile communication and IT devices.

Keeping up with HIPAA and healthcare IT regulations can be a full-time job, if it is done in-house.  However, most companies can outsource the liabilities associated with non-compliance by hiring Information Technology (IT) experts who can make sure the small hospital or physician’s office is in compliance, even when they aren’t aware of all the details. This can reduce the need to hire in-house technology experts who spend a lot of their time just keeping informed on HIPAA and healthcare IT issues.  It also provides a much leaner IT workforce, but one that is uniquely qualified to provide the four basic offerings necessary to be in compliance: protecting data, limiting and managing access to sensitive medical information, implementing disaster recovery and emergency protocols when necessary, and monitoring network security.

HIPAA was created primarily to protect the confidentiality and security of healthcare information.  As a physician’s practice, you are responsible for ensuring you use HIPAA compliant IT service vendors, particular those who store and transmit your data.

One of the most influential pieces of legislation the healthcare industry has to follow is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).  Healthcare IT employees often have their work cut out for them when trying to comply with this complex law.  To follow HIPAA regulations - including rules for privacy and security - healthcare organizations need to implement proper security policies and employ the right technology to ensure the security of the patient's protected health information (PHI) in the electronic health record (EHR).  By following HIPAA healthcare IT standards, healthcare organizations can mitigate the risk of security breaches and maintain the reputation of their practices.