What is HIPAA?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a critical federal law established in 1996 to ensure the protection of Protected Health Information (PHI). Covered Entities, such as doctors, hospitals, and insurance companies, along with their Business Associates, are required to implement safeguards that safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI. Failure to comply with HIPAA can result in severe penalties and breach notifications.
HIPAA consists of two key components: the Privacy Rule and the Security Rule. The Privacy Rule governs the legal uses and disclosures of PHI, while the Security Rule outlines the necessary measures to protect PHI.
Who needs to comply with HIPAA?
Virtually any business that handles, stores, transmits, or generates PHI must adhere to HIPAA regulations. Covered Entities, including hospitals, doctor offices, health plans, and pharmacies, as well as Business Associates like data processing vendors, medical billing services, telehealth providers, and cloud solutions providers, are all subject to HIPAA compliance requirements.
How to comply with HIPAA?
Achieving HIPAA compliance requires tailored approaches, considering each organization’s unique people, processes, and technologies. However, there are general requirements that all organizations must meet to ensure compliance.
How can SpaceCenter Systems help?
SpaceCenter Systems employs seasoned professionals with years of experience working in the healthcare industry that can help with addressing all HIPAA requirements. A typical approach consists of the following process:
- Conduct a discovery to understand the clients’ organization, business processes, and technologies.
- Perform a HIPAA evaluation to identify safeguards in place and compliance gaps.
- Perform a risk analysis to identify risks to PHI
- Develop a roadmap for addressing the identified compliance gaps and risks
- Assist the client on executing the roadmap
Depending on the clients’ internal resources expertise and availability, SpaceCenter Systems can implement the entire road map, position the client to execute the road map on their own, or supplement the clients’ team.