The HIPAA Compliance

HIPAA Compliance is a Federal government-based mandated standard medical and healthcare entities must meet, which is designed to protect the rights and privacy of patients.

The HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and sets forth guidelines for how industries and professionals in the medical and healthcare fields save, access, share or distribute electronic protected healthcare information, or (ePHI).

There are several facets of the guideline. One is Control Access. Affected industries must ensure access to sensitive medical information is limited to as few people as possible, those who access such information are properly tracked and logged and that their establishment have contingency plans in place which ensure medical information can be accessed in the event the operating system goes down. Another expectation of the guideline is Audit Control. Industries who need to maintain HIPAA compliance checklist must ensure medical records are easily accessible. Entities that are HIPAA Compliant will also maintain the integrity of their system, which demands safeguards be in place to prevent sensitive information from being altered or destroyed and that identities of anyone who requests access to such records be established before it is released. Security is another aspect of HIPAA compliance. Those who meet the standard will employ security measures that protect ePHI information from being observed by unauthorized persons during any type of electronic transfer.

Who Needs To Be HIPAA Compliant?

The HHS separates compliance into two categories: Covered Entities and Business Associates. Covered Entities are companies are individuals who directly operate in the medical or healthcare industries and include physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, healthcare companies, Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Medicare and Medicaid. The other category is classified as Business Associates. This group comprises any business or establishment, which performs a specific task for a Covered Entity, which might expose them to ePHI information. Internet providers, banks, accountants and attorneys fit this category.

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HIPAA Risk Assessment Options

If you work in the healthcare or business industry, you’re probably familiar with HIPAA. HIPAA is a set of federal guidelines set forth to ensure healthcare organizations and their technological associates meet a specific set of standards in regards to how they protect and handle their patients’ personal health information. Many businesses also ascribe to the same rules for their clients.

One of the factors that make HIPAA so successful is the risk assessment portion, which mandates that HIPAA compliance consist of not only putting strict security measures in place to protect sensitive information, but also testing those security measures. Testing HIPAA security measures involves looking for potential loopholes or weak spots in the protection of personal health information, which could be thwarted by hackers, malware, and so on. Without a regular, thorough risk assessment, it would be impossible for an organization to be sure their patients’ or clients’ information is as highly protected as possible.

However, assessing the risk is not all HIPAA compliance requires. According to section 164.308 of the HIPAA bylaws, compliance requires that organizations also “implement security measures sufficient to reduce risks and vulnerabilities to a reasonable and appropriate level…” In short, any problems the risk assessment finds need to be immediately resolved and further assessed to be certain the fixes hold up. HIPAA’s guidelines do not specify how exactly risk assessment and repair must be performed, as that is up to the individual organization to decide the most effective method for them. What is specified is that doing the assessment and repair in some form must be adhered to the best capability of each HIPAA-compliant organization.

Choosing how to manage the risk assessment and repair or remediation portion of HIPAA can be complex for any organization due to the number of options available and the generalized nature of HIPAA guidelines. One of the newest and strongest options is software designed with the goal of compliance to this section of the HIPAA laws in mind. The software follows a simple process of testing the organization’s security and either repairs the problems or gives guidelines about the next steps the organization should take to make sure they can become HIPAA compliant or maintain current HIPAA compliance. These software programs are ideal because they are designed by leading experts in technology whose specialty is security. This knowledge allows for the design of software that is truly exceptional in terms of helping an organization be certain any risks can be modified and safeguarded to protect sensitive information now and in the future.

There are many companies who design leading edge software to help organizations become HIPAA compliant. The ideal company has excellent reviews and holds a HIPAA Seal of Compliance from the HIPAA Compliancy Group.

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Be Compliant or Be Fined

Be compliant or be fined. While that statement may seem harsh and unforgiving, when it comes to protecting the privacy of your patients that is the only way to look at things. To help safeguard the medical information of patients, the government implemented the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law requires a strict adherence to policies and regulations to ensure the protection of all patient data.

Anyone working within the medical profession knows the importance of staying up-to-date and compliant with all HIPAA rules and regulations. Unfortunately, for many in the medical profession that have to keep records up-to-date and ensure all decisions are HIPAA compliant, this is just one big task in a sea of never-ending stressors and work. This is why a policy management software such as The Guard is so useful to any office or hospital.

Just as any law, there are many changes that occur every year. As technology grows, so does the importance of complying with each of these changes. A well-built policy management tool will update as the laws change and offer checklists to ensure the entire office is in compliance with the strict HIPAA laws.

For those that fail to meet the requirements of HIPAA rules, strict punishment is enforced. Hospitals have been fined almost a quarter of a million dollars for failing to comply, as well as a host of other fines, fees, and stipulations. Even worse than the monetary cost to an organization is the trust factor. A patient and their doctor have a special bond that relies on honesty and trust. Hospitals and organizations that do not take that bond seriously run the risk of losing the trust of their patients, making their job more difficult or their care less effective.

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Know about HIPAA risk assessment

One of the primary functions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is to guarantee security and protect the confidentiality of health information. Covered Entities such as doctor’s offices, hospitals and pharmacies, as well as any third party Business Associates are responsible for compliance with HIPAA guidelines. Risk assessment plays a vital role in compliance and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has established steps to help Covered Entities apply the HIPAA risk assessment or security rule to their daily business practices.

The purpose of the Security Rule is to evaluate risks, threats and vulnerabilities, and outline policies and procedures that should be implemented to address any issues that could cause a security breach. In order to secure Protected Health Information (PHI) and identify any possible threats, all CoveredEntities are required to implement appropriate security processes. A threat can be intentional or unintentional and must be addressed for a Covered Entity to remain compliant with HIPAA regulations.

Steps have been developed to help Covered Entities maintain security and compliance. The initial step should be identification of any areas needing to be analyzed and to begin collecting data to provide structure for a risk analysis. Once data has been collected, a risk analysis will help document any threats, risks or vulnerabilities, which then allows the Covered Entity to evaluate current security measures to determine the possibility of a security breach. Once current security measures have been examined, it is time to determine the potential impact of any risk and what areas need stronger security measures.

After the completion of the risk analysis, a risk management strategy has to be developed to address any issues found during the investigation. A risk management plan must be created to provide structure through the process of implementing any new or updated security measures. When the risk management plan is in place, the necessary security measures can be employed, along with a plan for continuous evaluation to ensure ongoing security of data.

 All Covered Entities must establish a process for risk analysis and management to guarantee HIPAA compliance. Basic steps have been outlined for the evaluation of any vulnerability, risks or threats, as well as a process to address any problems that could result in a breach or HIPAA non-compliance. By following these basic steps a Covered Entity can manage any risk they may discover and quickly respond to potential threats.

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HIPAA Compliance Software

Organizations responsible for the security of Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) can implement software to attain compliance. Implementing the appropriatesoftware will not only ensure compliance but also drastically reduce the time required.Using HIPAA compliance software allows covered entities to maintain HIPAA, HITECH, and Omnibus compliance while avoiding the high cost associated with an audit. When a company uses the appropriate software, the daily management of HIPAA compliance can be affordable and flexible.

Any software that collects, stores, or shares PHI with an organization should include safeguards to protect data. HIPAA compliance software must adhere to the Privacy and Security Rules of HIPAA, due to the inherent dangers of handling PHI. One of the basic functions of HIPAA compliance software is secure access to PHI via unique user authentication. An essential element is the encryption of data. Additional functions include regular safety updates (which provide protection from any breach), the ability to audit data and ensure it has not been accessed or modified in any unauthorized way, and data backup.

Since there is no safe harbor clause for HIPAA, it is important to find third party file storage and hosting platforms that explicitly state they are HIPAA compliant. Building your own HIPAA compliance infrastructure is costly and time consuming. It will require ongoing expenditures to maintain, due to HIPAA law changes, updates and auditing. HIPAA hosting and compliance utilizes website applications or data storage and hosting services to comply with the physical safeguard requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule.

PHI must be stored in a compliant environment; therefore, using software and web-based applications can guarantee proper management and handling of PHI. Physical safeguard requirements of the Security Rule are also addressed with compliance software. The implementation of network and application security best practices will protect a hosting environment. A good infrastructure design eliminates all single point of failures, and the use of multiple servers provides essential backupshould a server crash. High availability and redundancy of data are crucial to HIPAA compliance infrastructures.

HIPAA compliance software delivers essential protection for any organization responsible for the security of documentation protected under HIPAA guidelines. Using third party file storage and hosting services will provide cost-effective solutions for HIPAA compliance.

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Get to know about the HIPAA risk assessment

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, better known as HIPAA, affects more than just insurance companies. Several establishments, including doctors, hospitals and pharmacies, must conformto HIPAA guidelines. One of the most important aspects regarding HIPAA is a risk assessment. This is why the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed a rule titled “Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information”, commonly known as the Security Rule.

All Electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) is subjected to the Security Rule and companies who are required to follow HIPAA guidelines must implement security practices to protect this information. The Security Rule requires the evaluation of risks, threats and vulnerabilities, and the implementation of policies and procedures to address them. In order to identify the areas that pose a threat, organizations must develop the proper security processes.

Whether a threat is intentional or unintentional is irrelevant, the main focus should be compliance with HIPAA regulations. CMS developed basic steps to help with risk analysis and risk management. While this approach is not required, the following steps can help organizations develop a basic risk analysis. First, it is important to pinpoint the areas to be analyzed and begin gathering relevant data. This will provide structure to the analysis. Next, it is time to recognize and document any risks, threats, or vulnerabilities; once this is completed it’s time to evaluate security measures already in place. This will help to determine the likelihood of a security breach. The final steps include discovering the potential impact and level of risk, and deciding where to implement security measures.

Once a risk analysis has been completed, it’s time to develop a risk management strategy. Common steps to address risk management include creating a risk management plan to provide structure when implementing security measures. Once the plan is in place, it’s time to employ the necessary security measures. Finally, continuous evaluation of these measures is vital in maintaining security.

Risk analysis and management is an integral part of HIPAA risk assessment and compliance. CMS has provided extensive information on their website to help companies develop a plan of action specific to their own individual needs, while at the same time following the Security Rule to protect all ePHI and other documents falling under HIPAA guidelines. The steps recommended by CMSprovide a basic approach to effectively manage any threats or risks a company may encounter.

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Know about Compliance Webinar

Compliance with HIPAA regulations is more important than ever. With standards updated subsequently because of the HITECH Rule in 2009, there are more precautions to take into consideration, in addition to greater consequences for non-compliance than ever before. These updates apply not only primarily to Covered Entities, as was documented in the original HIPAA act, but also compels compliance from Business Associates. Any organizations that deal with Protected Health Information (PHI) in some way, shape or form may now be required to comply with HIPAA regulations.

HIPAA compliance can be an overwhelming process. Attending the Compliance Webinar will give your organization the overview of what it takes to be in accordance with HIPAA regulations. The webinar can help you determine what resources (staff, consultants, and automatic software tools) can help build the organizational infrastructure to handle HIPAA Compliance. With such infrastructure, compliance can turn from a burden to a process that is highly manageable and efficient.

During the webinar, experts will explain and elaborate on HIPAA, HITECH, Meaningful Use, and Omnibus. The process of risk assessments, tracking of incidents, managing paper trail, reporting of data, and managing concealed issues will all be addressed. We'll go through the various components of HIPAA, including the Privacy, Security, Enforcement, and Breach Notification Rule. In addition, the various Administrative, Technical, Organizational, and Physical safeguards required will be explained. This includes a host of issues: from ensuring security of the premises, making sure system passwords are secure, safeguarding that the right staff has access to the right data, tocertifying data is encrypted at all levels.

We can show you that compliance, with an effective and efficient infrastructure, can be more economical and less complicated than you believed. Not just that, doing so will mitigate the costs of non-compliance, which could be several times greater than what it would take to achieve compliance. Sign up today!

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Policy Management Software

As organizations grow, they face a continuous increase in the number and complexity of policies and procedures that staff members need to share and collaborate with one another. This is one of the biggest challenges for organizations of all types and sizes. It involves demonstrating compliance to auditors and the best practices to staff. This is required not just at periodic intervals, but also continuously and instantly to a variety of stakeholders.

It is essential to have high quality policy management software to help a company to be on top of itself. Such software allows users to create and refine policies and procedures in compliance with standards that are relevant. When policies are not maintained properly, its value decreases and the policy loses its authority and relevance.

Increasing regulatory requirements these days necessitates organizations be proactive in their management of important documents. Having up-to-date policy reduces the chance of liability and demonstrates an organization is acting in solid governance to government authorities, outside organizations, and even itself.

Misplaced documentation (either through poor organizational structure or poor systems architecture) can cost an organization valuable time, energy, and resources. The easier it is for staff to find documents and update them in a distributed real-time manner, the easier it is to ensure that the most up-to-date information is at the fingertips of those who need it. It is very helpful to have a means of recovering information if portions of a company’s policies, procedures, and guidelines are missing or no longer relevant. This aids in the flexibility of an organization tobounce back on its feet during times of change or disarray.

An end-to-end policy management package ensures that the creation, preservation, and deletion of information in the documentation occur in a step-by-step procedural manner. This process should be free from obstacles such as interference from conflicting processes, confusion on what processes are involved, and confusion as to the roles and responsibilities of who updates what and is accountable for what. A good policy management system takes all of these factors into account, while delegating authority and authorship as needed.

A proper policy management system will not only save time and energy but ultimately the bottom line expenses. There are a countless number of lost work hours that result from creating, recreating, and updating an organization’s policy in an inefficient manner. A seamless process in this regard allows an organization to use human resources elsewhere by taking care of the overhead.

In summary, good policy management software helps an organization maintain rigorous control over its infrastructure, track usage, update, and assimilate various components distributed throughout the organization. It gives individuals in the company a solid means of tracking policy changes and ensuring that authority in updates is delegated, and escalated, to the right parties at the right time. It can continuously reduce ineffective workflows by tracking changes throughout the process without the stopping and backtracking associated with manual policy management.

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HIPAA Compliance Checklist

Once you've concluded you are handling protected health information (PHI), you will have to ensure your organization is HIPAA compliant. Compliance with HIPAA requires going through a series of steps that, altogether achieved, ensure you are in-line with the regulations set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services for patient health records.

Compliance achievement can take the form of checklist that walks through the 4 sets of rules within HIPAA: The Privacy Rule, Security Rule, Enforcement Rule, and Breach Notification Rule. While it is beyond the scope of this article to provide a comprehensive breakdown, we will provide a basic overview of what such a checklist entails.

The Privacy Rule presents standards that protect health records that apply to various health care providers that conduct their transactions electronically. It involves preventing impermissible uses of the PHI, ensure breach notification procedures are in place, ensure appropriate access to the PHI, and provide disclosures to the Secretary of HHS as needed.

The HIPAA Security Rule ensures that various safeguards are in place on Technical, Physical, and Administrative levels. Some are designated as 'required', and others designated as 'addressable' (required for certain organizations).

Technical safeguards deal with: unique user identification, emergency access procedures, automatic logoff, encryption/decryption, audit controls, and authentication systems and methods. Physical safeguards deal with the physical location and the facilities themselves, including: contingency operations, security plans, access control, maintenance records, workstation use, workstation security, disposal of documents, accountability, and data backup/storage procedures.

Administrative safeguards cover the conduct of workers in the organization, and provide measures in place to protect PHI. It requires establishing a privacy officer, conducting staff training, review documentation on a regular basis, performing a risk assessment, creating agreements with the various Business Associates (BA) that partner with your organization.

The Enforcement Rule and Breach Notification Rule are not necessarily actionable in advance, but they spell out the penalties and procedures for hearings related to HIPAA non-compliance, as well as procedures for dealing with a breach of unsecured PHI.

Though seemingly daunting, the HIPAA compliance checklist rules can be applied and enforced in your organization in a systematic manner through a checklist. In addition, automatic tools can enhance the value of a checklist by having systematized procedures to bring your organization into compliance.

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Introducing the HIPAA Omnibus Rule

New standards have been added to HIPAA regulations through the Omnibus Rule. These new additions address holes in the ability to access PHI (Protected Health Information) by those that are non-privy to such data. These standards ensure that "Covered Entities" follow these rules or deal with significantly harsher penalties.Covered Entities, Business Associates and their subcontractors are more liable for compliance lapses under the Omnibus Rule. Enacted on September 23, 2013,the Omnibus Rule has led to a dramatic increase in the cost and complexity for the maintenance of healthcare documentation, requiring even more precise auditing of systems and policies.

There are a variety of points that make up the new HIPAA Omnibus Rule, which include additional HITECH Act enhancements. During a breach of PHI the Covered Entity must notify eachindividual party whose information was breached, the Dept. of Health and Human Services, and media sources. The definition of a secure system is not simply having access or login protection. It requires the data to be thoroughly encrypted when breached, or automatically destroyed before it is accessed. In addition, the Omnibus Rule expanded the scope of what constitutes a breach to even limited sets of data that might contain certain fields.

The Omnibus Rule is an update to the Interim Final Rule published in August 2009 and involves the discarding of a 'harm threshold'. This threshold analyzed the risk of a potential breach's impact in determining the potential recourse for a Covered Entity. However, the Omnibus Rule voided this threshold, but instead presumes a breach unless certain specific factors are taken into account. This includes who the unauthorized person is, whether the PHI was viewed, and how it was acquired.

Sanctions for not providing the required notice are severe, with some state law requirements even more severe than federal laws. Thus, potential breach and all follow-up protocols should include a full analysis of both state and federal regulations.

The Omnibus Act also expands the definition of a Business Associate. Thus, the new BAA (Business Associate Agreement) must specify the general arrangement of data being exchanged in addition toaddressing the repercussions of a potential breach in the transfer of information between Covered Entities and Business Associates. The NPP (Notice of Privacy Policies) has beenmodified to include provisions for distribution, sale, and notification of breach to patients including special provisions for psychotherapy notes.

Penalties for lack of compliance to these rules include $100 per violation and $25,000 if the violation is identical in one calendar year. Privacy breaches have a far greater consequence, including penalties up to $1.5 million.

With the HIPAA Omnibus Rule in effect, it is even more imperative that Covered Entities and Business Associates take active steps in ensuring that their systems are protected, with protocols and audit tools in place to prevent even a seemingly minor PHI breach from occurring. To comply with these changes, both Covered Entities and Business Associates must make updates to their privacy practices, as well as perform an audit of all their policies and procedures on a regular basis.

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HIPAA Omnibus Rule

The HIPAA Omnibus Rule was brought into effect on January 25, 2013. This was a set of rules that directly affected the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in the areas of Security, Privacy and Enforcement. In a day in age where technology runs nearly everything, these provisions to HIPAA helped implement changes to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (otherwise known as the HITECH Act). These provisions protect patients' personal information more directly in today's high tech world.

One of the first things these provisions address is that under the HIPAA Omnibus Rule all associates of a business and all subcontractors of a business are directly liable for complete compliance with HIPAA. It also goes on to limit the use of personal information for the use of marketing purposes. These provisions also expand on the rights of individuals to receive copies of their medical records over the internet.

In times of a breach of privacy, the HIPAA Omnibus Rule and the HITECH Act increase the monetary penalties. Monetary penalties include:

• Accidental disclosure of personal information resulting in a penalty of no less than $100 but no more the $50,000 for each case
• For disclosure due to reasonable cause and not pure neglect resulting in a penalty of no less than $1,000 but no more than $50,000 for each case
• For disclosure due to neglect but fixed in a timely fashion resulting in a penalty of no less than $10,000 but no more than $50,000 for each case
• For disclosure due to neglect that is not fixed in a timely manner resulting in a penalty of $50,000 but no more than $1.5 million per year for each case

Any known use or disclosure of personal information is considered to be a breach of the HIPAA.

The HIPAA Omnibus Rule was brought in to effect to further cover and protect patients' personal information. All healthcare officials and individuals in the healthcare field must be properly educated on the HIPAA Omnibus Rule and practice it to avoid monetary penalties. 

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Why your organization and its team members should attend compliance webinars ?

Compliance has become a buzzword for organizations both large and small.  The main issue with companies and organizations trying to adhere with all regulatory compliance is that both compliance and the HHShave no bias.  Yes, compliance doesn’t care if you have a full time compliance officer, a million dollar budget or absolutely no idea what you are doing.

There are always tons of options regarding ways to educate yourself about compliance. However,most of these options will only focus on a textbook way of achieving compliance education and can be costly.  In our free compliance webinar series, we strive to not only find industry experts, but also to focus on relevant topics that pertain to the compliance industry and what you need to know.

Here at Compliancy Group, we are aware of the gaps in compliance knowledge as a whole and how this can effect an organization of any size.  This is why we decided to create our free education series where the focus revolves around supplying a wide range of compliance webinars.Most importantly, knowledgeable speakers who have expertise in their fields ranging from HIPAA compliance to health care law carry out these compliance webinars. Past topics of compliance webinars have included: HIPAA, HITECH, Meaningful Use, the Omnibus Rule, Business Associates, HIPAA Compliance Checklist, and much moredemonstrated by speakers such as: Frank Ruelas, Matt Fisher, and Bob Grant.

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What is HIPAA and Why Do I Need to Abide by These Rules and Regulations?

If people have heard of HIPAA or the Health Insurance Accountability and Portable Act of 1996, they probably know that it protects their private medical information. HIPAA actually forced the government to create standards designed to protect personal health care information that is submitted and electronically stored. However, a lot of people do not understand what the law really covers.

What is HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Accountability and Portability Act of 1996 contains five titles. Title One of HIPAA provides health insurance protection for employees and their families when they lose or change jobs.

Title Two of the law, also known as the Administrative Simplification Provisions, created national standards for electronic-based health care transactions and national identifiers for health insurance plans, employers and medical providers. This aims to prevent health care abuse and fraud and provides a platform for administrative simplification and medical liability reform.

Title Three of the law deals with tax related provisions that govern medical savings accounts. It standardizes the amount that a person is allowed to save in their pre-medical savings account.

The law’s fourth title specifies conditions for group health plans that cover people who have a pre-existing condition. It also provides clarification regarding continuation coverage requirements including COBRA.

Title Five contains provisions that are related to company-provided life insurance. It also prohibits the tax reduction of interest on company endowments and life insurance loans or contracts.

Reasons to comply with this Law

There are a number of reasons why people and businesses alike should start complying with this law. HIPAA Omnibus Rule has substantially increased civil penalties for non-compliance. The penalty cap for any violations was increased from $25,000 annually to $1,500,000 per violation.

Aside from that, willfully failing or ignoring to be compliant brings mandatory penalties, and investigations can be started by any discovered violation, breach or complaint.

• New Breach Notification Rules

HIPAA rules and regulations now contain new breach notification rules that will increase the quantity of HIPAA violations determined to be breaches. The Omnibus rule has expanded the definition of a breach and the failure consequences. Federal investigations can be triggered when proper notification has been provided.


• The Law is Getting Stricter

States are steadily getting more involved in HIPAA enforcement. Failure to comply with HIPAA means feeling the full force of the law. Aside from that, the Office of Civil Rights, a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services, is expanding its Division of Health Information Privacy Information Team. It is stepping up the implementation of HIPAA compliance activities.

• Maintains a Company’s Reputation

Complying with this law helps health service providers avoid the HIPAA Wall of Shame. The list of reported major breaches and substantial penalties is growing at a rapid rate.

What is worse is that the details of these breaches are widely available to the general public and reported in the media. The consequences of a data breach can include more than just criminal and civil penalties. They can also damage a company’s reputation.

The Bottom Line

Companies face important obligations under HIPAA. If a company provides services as a health care entity and has not begun the process of implementing a compliance program, the time to take action is now. Although maintaining and achieving compliance is a challenge, a company that fails to act may find that overcoming the consequences of non-compliance presents an even greater challenge.

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Choosing HIPAA Compliance Software

Choosing HIPAA compliant software for your business in the healthcare industry is a must. HIPAA regulations can be complicated. The right software simplifies becoming compliant while also assisting you in managing your business by offering training and educational materials for staff. Whether you are an Business Associate in need of HIPAA compliance software or a Covered Entity, you will need to begin by looking at the features that will make operating your business within the current guidelines straightforward.

Features to choose



internal auditing is one of the most important features to look for when choosing HIPAA compliance software. Internal auditing allows you to assess your current methods and procedures for handling sensitive patient information and offers gap remediation that can be implemented within the workplace as needed to meet standard set by HIPAA regulations. HIPAA software should also be user-friendly. The laws and regulations may be complex but the software that you use should be accessible and easy to understand. 

Features such as HIPAA checklists, for example, are available to ensure you are following your plan toward HIPAA compliance. Data backup and emergency operation features are also important for businesses. These features allow you to access and secure patient health information even when you are experiencing problems with your system in the office. Opting for HIPAA software that is backed by customer support is ideal for organizations and entities when there is an issue with your internal electronics systems.

Affordable and Effective

The goal of HIPAA software is reaching compliance but there are also some other advantages for your organization. Internal auditing and included client support can both work to save your business from incredibly expensive outside audits and services. With the right HIPAA compliance software, your organization will be able to handle all aspects of becoming compliant with one simple program.

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The Important of Risk Assessment Tracking and Proof of Efforts

Meaningful use stage two is an important way for healthcare providers too ensures patients receive the best care. Meaningful Use Stage 2 utilizes many of the healthcare initiatives beginning with stage one, but includes some important updates that you will want to know about. Tracking and recording are vital when you are want to provide proof of risk assessments in a hospital or other medical establishment in order to qualify for incentive payments.

Getting Started

You will need to develop a solid, clear plan for tracking and recording risk assessment in order to reach meaningful use standards. Your staff should be aware of any new processes that will be implemented, which processes will be stopped and how long the new practices will be used in the workplace. Offering a training seminar can be an ideal solution to training staff in new recording and tracking methods used by your organization.

Why is Tracking and Recording Important?

The goal of meaningful use stage two is to provide electronic medical records that are accurate, up to date and relevant to the care of patients. The ability to prove that you have use established risk assessment guidelines according to the meaningful use regulations is vital when working with Medicaid and Medicare clients. Your organization will need to use EHRs, or electronic health records, to meet specific goals in order to qualify for state funded incentives. You can satisfy the need for proof by using the EHRs according to regulations and working with your local Regional Extension Center.

The goals of meaningful use are designed to provide a more comprehensive health care system to the public. One of the goals is to share more information with patients to promote a better understanding of medical conditions and treatments. You will need to supply proof that you have been utilizing the EHRs to achieve meaningful use stage two guidelines. Your local Regional Extension Center representative can help you get started on implementing the guidelines in your organization and assist you with learning more about the measures that are used to prove that the guidelines have been used.

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HIPAA Disclosure Documentation

Prior to the establishment of HIPAA Policies and Procedures, no federal regulations existed that required any type of tracking system to account for the release of information.  Now, however, based on the HIPAAprivacy rule, as explained in the Omnibus final rule, covered entities must track protected health information that has been disclosed.  This was instituted to allow an individual to receive an accounting of disclosures for the six years preceding their request.  In order to comply with this regulation, covered entities must have a tracking system in place.

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The HIPAA Omnibus Rule

HIPAA rules and regulations were significantly updated and more clearly defined through the passage of the HIPAA Omnibus Rule, also known as the HIPAA final rule.  The final rule bolsters the privacy and security rules for protected health information established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

As of January 27, 2013, this overhauled version of the HIPAA compliance laws were put into place, giving the HITECH act more teeth in terms of imposing consequences for failure to comply with HIPAA.  The Omnibus Rule was intended to better protect patient privacy through additional regulations and by implementing audits with associated fines for being found negligent in complying with HIPAA regulations.

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HIPAA, Security, and the Mobile Device

With the inclusion of Biometrics to the IPHONE 5, as seen in this article, http://secureidnews.com/news-item/analysis-biometrics-and-the-iphone/, there are many pros and cons that will affect how to be hipaa compliant.

Awesome that you can use your own identification to open you mobile device but it also comes with organizations and individuals who think this is not such a great thing.

For many years putting sensitive information on your mobile device was a no no, it can be stolen and access easily gained.  That is evident in the rules the Government puts forward like the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA.  A HIPAA Risk assessment requires you to encrypt and safeguard data at rest and in motion, and focus a lot on mobile devices.  So you would think this type of encryption and access would be welcome, well it is in and it isn’t.

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What to Expect When the HIPAA Auditors Arrive?

You think it’s an average, ordinary day and sit back as you go through the mail.  You pull an envelope out of the pile, read the return address and suddenly sit up straight.  You already know the contents of what is inside and your heart rate increases as you carefully slit open the top.  Despite telling yourself you could be wrong as you remove the letter, you discover  you are not.  It is the dreaded OCR audit notification letter.  Cue the panic.

When this letter arrives, there’s no need to hear the theme from “Jaws” in you head.  If you ensure you have made a good faith effort to comply with the HIPAA / HITECH requirements based on the final Omnibus rule, and have documented this as policy mandates, you can breath easier, and when the audit occurs you will not feel as if you are in shark infested waters.

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