HIPAA compliance is integrated into many operations at healthcare providers. Breaches of Protected Health Information (PHI) can have costly consequences in dollars and reputation. With more breaches nationally, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) conducted more investigations in 2016 than previous years, auditing breaches and levying big fines — even for cases involving less than 1,000 records.
HIPAA is daily compliance reality for the healthcare industry. Yet, many small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) involved in healthcare don’t pay enough attention to other federal, state and local regulations. They often lack a coordinated strategy to identify and address all standards that apply. Ignorance of the law is no excuse to auditors. And hackers know SBMs are less likely to have secure systems than larger companies.
Here’s a reminder of federal laws that also require compliance through IT security:
State and local laws may vary. So, streamlining compliance with all the regulations that govern healthcare businesses is extremely complicated. Overlaps between HIPAA, GLB, PCI-DSS exist, and you can implement processes that meet those overlaps. Most modern regulations center on standard levels of protection for client, patient and financial information. Security procedures and systems must address all three areas of concern.
Follow these core tips for creating a successful compliance plan:
Compliance doesn’t stop with a plan and the right systems in place. Industry, state and local regulations are changing, and it’s best to stay in full compliance all the time. A “standout” Managed Services Provider (MSP) can monitor proposed and actual changes for you, using business experience to sort through regulations that affect your business.
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