The Health Insurance and Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) is something you should be aware of if you intend on running a cloud server within any healthcare business.
Noncompliance means you could be left with a HIPAA fine up to $250,000. These fines even apply to individual healthcare workers. Individuals have been fined up to $100,000.
You need to make sure that your healthcare cloud server is HIPPA compliant, and this guide is going to show you how to do it.
What is HIPAA Compliance About?
The bottom line is that HIPAA compliance is about protecting the privacy of patients. With 17.5% of GDP being attributed to healthcare, there’s a lot of money and a lot of people involved. When things go wrong it can be a disaster.
You have a duty to make sure things don’t go wrong.
Yet it’s scary how many healthcare companies are completely unaware of these regulations.
The Three Principles of HIPAA Compliance
There are three main principles you need to be aware of to ensure that you have met HIPAA compliance requirements. We’re going to discuss them now:
Technological – These are the safeguards that govern access and record access, such as enforcing password changes, limiting who can access which information, and data encryption.
Physical – Physical safeguards are the easiest to conform to. Security cameras, locking access to the physical computer systems, and managing the distribution of USB drives are just some of the ways you can conform.
Procedural – Also known as data integrity checks, these safeguards would include things like regular backups to prevent data corruption. It also takes you into the field of disaster recovery.
The Need for Documentation
You also need to document any changes you make. The rules state you must keep accurate records regarding the safeguards you have implemented.
Plus, you need to record how regularly you review these safeguards, and the outcome of your checks. You may be required to produce these records.
Choosing the Right Cloud Partner
All reports reveal that cloud implementation is on the rise within the healthcare industry, which has also increased comfort levels.
So, make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect your healthcare company as it moves into the cloud.
You need someone who understands your obligations and someone who’s going to work with you.
So how do you choose the right cloud partner for your healthcare firm?
First, you should be able to develop a business and technical relationship with your cloud healthcare partner. They will be able to help you properly align your healthcare business with your responsibilities.
Your cloud partner should also have the growth of your business in mind. There’s little point in getting a great cloud partner if they aren’t going to evolve alongside the various security threats. Getting caught without could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
There are cloud partners who have signed agreements that signal they’re HIPAA compliant. You should look for these, so you can use the cloud with confidence.
Last Word – It’s Serious Business
The biggest mistake you can make is to assume that nothing can go wrong. The truth is it’s unlikely that you will find inspectors taking a close look at your business. But if something goes wrong you will be expected to produce records proving that you complied with the regulations.
Failing to do this means that you will be liable for fines and other legal action. Furthermore, this doesn’t include the damage to your reputation in the eyes of your patients.
So, make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect your healthcare company as it moves into the cloud.