There is little that is more disruptive and detrimental to a healthcare organization than a HIPAA violation. First, consider the penalties. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issues fines of $50,000 per violation up to a $1.5 million maximum, and criminal penalties can be up to ten years imprisonment and $250,000 in fines. Second, […]
HIPAA compliance (meeting the parameters of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a massive point of focus for healthcare organizations – and for good reason. Beyond the fines that a company can have to pay for violations, there are numerous other costs associated with the data breaches that are typically associated […]
The world of HIPAA compliance can seem complex. There are so many considerations to make – from choosing a HIPAA compliant fax service to enacting HIPAA compliant email providers, to ensuring that the physical premises of an office or facility are secure. Each consideration is important; there’s no doubting that. But it all adds up […]
Most health care providers do not carry out all their health care activities and functions by themselves. The HIPAA Privacy Rule applies only to covered entities. However, it does allow providers to disclose certain protected health information to business associates. If a provider contract any services the provider must obtain assurances that the business associate […]
Why does a HIPAA-compliant system cost more than a standard hosting environment does? The reason at a broad level is the need for extra technological “bells and whistles” – although they are by no means superficial. These additional features are necessary because of healthcare regulations, established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of […]
You as a covered entity (CE) must have realized by now that your business associates’ (BAs’) activities can jeopardize your organization, especially if you need to share PHI with them — in most instances you will need to do so. The extent to which it is shared as well as the limitations you put on […]