HIPAA

HIPAA-compliant organizations secure and protect patient PHI; those that aren’t risk significant financial and reputational damage

 

Framework Snapshot

Data safety and security are critically important, especially in the healthcare sector. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information (PHI) from disclosure without patient consent or knowledge.

HIPAA compliance is non-negotiable for all covered entities. These include healthcare providers, health plans, vendors, contractors, and healthcare clearinghouses. A business associate is a person or organization that provides services to a covered entity with access to personal health information (PHI). IT systems with the right tools and technology ensure steady and robust compliance, regardless of how compliance standards evolve.

HIPAA Automation: Compliance for Less

The SureShield platform simplifies HIPAA compliance by automating technical controls and guiding you through operational controls. SureShield’s automation will reduce your overall HIPAA compliance cost by up to 70% when compared to traditional, labor-intensive compliance methods. For organizations requiring compliance to multiple frameworks, crosswalk automation drives cost savings up toward 90%.

HIPAA

Start Your FREE TRIAL


    *Required fields

    Three Major Components of HIPAA

    HIPAA Privacy Rules

    Protect patients’ PHI while allowing the exchange of information to effectively coordinate patient care.

    Security Rules

    Include requirements to protect PHI confidentiality, integrity and availability.

    Breach Notification Rules

    Require breached entities to notify affected individuals, HHS, and, in some cases, the media.

    HIPAA compliance is regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and enforced by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR provides regular guidance on evolving issues and HIPAA investigations. HIPAA rules and regulations include three major components: HIPAA Privacy rules, Security rules, and Breach Notification rules. These notification rules protect the privacy and security of health information and gives individuals rights to their health information.

    The Privacy Rule protects a patients’ PHI while allowing the exchange of information to coordinate patient care. It also gives patients the right to examine, get a copy of their medical records, and request corrections. The Security Rule includes security requirements to protect patients’ ePHI confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The Breach Notification Rule requires the entity to notify affected individuals, HHS, and, in some cases, the media. A breach is an unpermitted use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of PHI.

    HIPAA-compliant organizations secure and protect patient PHI; those that aren’t risk significant financial and reputational damage. However, healthcare or related organizations committed to ongoing HIPAA compliance not only benefit their patients, but also increase the likelihood of a breach-free, penalty-free future for themselves. The value of ongoing compliance is not just in avoiding penalties, but in building trust and ensuring patient safety.

    Key Features of the updated guidance published in Special Publication (SP) 800-66r2 (Revision 2) include:

    1. Expanded Scope: The revised guidance applies to all organizations, regardless of their degree of cybersecurity sophistication.
    2. Governance Emphasis: It highlights the importance of informed decision-making on cybersecurity strategy.
    3. Online Resources: Regulated entities can access a list of resources, including guidance, templates, and tools, to assist with specific topics.
    4. Mapping to NIST Framework: Mappings of the HIPAA Security Rule’s standards and implementation specifications to NIST Cybersecurity Framework Subcategories and SP 800-53r5 security controls.
    5. Stricter Requirements: The 2024 HIPAA update introduces enhanced risk assessments, incident response plans, and data encryption practices.
    1

    Activate HIPAA framework

    2

    Install scanner for compliance evidence gathering

    3

    Review baseline evidence to score compliance control status

    4

    Close compliance gaps

    5

    Ongoing compliance gap surveillance

    6

    Enforced maintenance of compliance readiness

    Free COMPLiANCE Assessment

    Do you need help assessing your compliance readiness? Learn how our automated crosswalk technology will dramatically reduce your labor requirements. Schedule your free consulting session, up to 1 hour.