What is HIPAA Compliance?

<p>Is your  business meeting its HIPAA requirements? Check out our guide for everything  you need to know about HIPAA compliance and its importance.</p><h2>What is HIPAA Compliance?</h2><p>It's no secret that healthcare is digitizing at a rapid pace, but  we've seen exponential growth in these technologies in this past year alone.  Telehealth alone grew <a  href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6943a3.htm "Trends  in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic —  United States, January–March 2020"">by 154%</a> during the  first half of 2020.</p><p>As we digitize healthcare information, HIPAA becomes increasingly  important for businesses. But what is HIPAA? And what does it mean to be  HIPAA compliant?</p><p>That's what we're here to look at today. Read on to find out what  HIPAA compliance means for businesses like yours!</p><h3>What Is HIPAA?</h3><p>The abbreviation <a  href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/health-insurance-portability-accountability-act-1996  "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of  1996"">HIPAA refers to</a> the Health Insurance  Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. It's a law that allows for the  sharing of medical information to improve the quality of care while  protecting patient privacy.</p><p>For organizations that deal with medical information in any way,  HIPAA compliance is incredibly important. This encompasses private businesses  and startups, not just hospitals and other healthcare  organizations.</p><p>But what does it really mean to be HIPAA compliant?</p><h3>What Does It Mean to Be HIPAA Compliant?</h3><p>HIPAA compliance refers to a business or other entity having the  right procedures, systems, and framework to safeguard protected health  information, or PHI. These procedures have to abide by HIPAA  standards.</p><h3>What Is HIPAA Compliance for Businesses?</h3><p>Any businesses or persons who work with healthcare organizations  or similar entities usually have to be HIPAA compliant. If they do any work  that uses PHI, then HIPAA compliance is needed.</p><h2>Becoming HIPAA Compliant</h2><p>While you might assume HIPAA compliance is just a regular  administrative hurdle that businesses have to go through, it's actually quite  valuable for organizations. The benefits of HIPAA compliance go beyond  legality.</p><p>It provides better overall security frameworks and other  strategies that improve your administrative processes. So what are some of  these HIPAA rules that employers typically follow?</p><ol><li>Privacy Health Information: HIPAA compliant  organizations can usually only share private information between the person  who owns that information, i.e., a patient. This is typically for billing,  procedure information, and other treatment. Privacy with health information  under HIPAA emphasizes transparency. Businesses must tell patients why they  need specific information and how they're planning on using  it.</li></ol><ol><li>Electronic Security: HIPAA compliant organizations must  have the right security infrastructure to protect all private information.  It's up to the business or startup to have the right framework in place.  Regulators take this aspect very seriously. Fines can get to the tens of  thousands of dollars, especially with the threat of cyberattacks becoming  more common.</li></ol><ol><li>Breach Notification: When any breach that compromises  private information occurs, businesses have to report it. Notifications have  to be made to any affected individuals, while copies of those notifications  have to be sent to the HHS.</li></ol><h3>HIPAA Employee Considerations</h3><p>Those are only some of the main factors which affect HIPAA  compliance for businesses. It's not all up to the employers, however, to  ensure their business is following the rules.</p><p>Employees have to hold up their end of the bargain. Being careful  not to share passwords or sharing sensitive information in unsecured channels  is crucial. Locking one's screen and securing data when employees leave their  workplace is another key consideration. Implementing two-factor  authentication is a great way to improve employee compliance.</p><h3>HIPAA Compliance for Startups and Other  Businesses</h3><p>HIPAA compliance can be daunting for startups and other businesses,  but attaining that status is easier than it might seem. Use this guide to  help you understand just what HIPAA compliance means.</p><p>Looking for reliable cybersecurity services to get HIPAA  compliant? Contact us and schedule a demo today to find your best possible  solution!</p>