To file a complaint for violation of your rights under HITECH or HIPAA, visit the Dept. of Health & Human Services website.
We’ve just launched our latest white paper on HIPAA Compliance! This white paper is ideal for executives and IT decision-makers seeking a primer as well as up-to-date information regarding hipaa compliance best practices and specific technology recommendations, including cloud-based hipaa compliant hosting options.
Download the HIPAA Compliance white paper.
HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. Any company that deals with protected health information (PHI) must ensure that all the required physical, network, and process security measures are in place and followed.
This includes covered entities (CE), anyone who provides treatment, payment and operations in healthcare, and business associates (BA), anyone with access to patient information and provides support in treatment, payment or operations. Subcontractors, or business associates of business associates, must also be in compliance.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule addresses the saving, accessing and sharing of medical and personal information of any individual, while the HIPAA Security Rule more specifically outlines national security standards to protect health data created, received, maintained or transmitted electronically, also known as electronic protected health information (ePHI).
If you are hosting your data with a HIPAA compliant hosting provider, they must have certain administrative, physical and technical safeguards in place, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The physical and technical safeguards are most relevant to services provided by your HIPAA compliant host as listed below, with detail on what constitutes a HIPAA compliant data center.
A supplemental act was passed in 2009 called The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act which supports the enforcement of HIPAA requirements by raising the penalties of health organizations that violate HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. The HITECH Act was formed in response to health technology development and increased use, storage and transmittal of electronic health information.
Ready to proceed with HIPAA compliant cloud hosting? Otava can help. Our experts are trained in HIPAA compliant processes, policies and procedures to ensure that when your data is in our cloud, it remains in accordance with federal law. Contact us to chat with someone now and learn more.
Resources: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What Is The HIPAA Security Rule? How can you be certain that your patients’ electronic health information is adequately protected? The HIPAA Security Rule was created to help you answer that question more confidently…(Keep Reading)
What Is The HIPAA Privacy Rule? Physicians are entrusted with some of the most intimate and personal information in a patient’s lifetime—account and identity information as well as health information. Patients expect that information…(Keep Reading)
HIPAA FAQ: Curious to learn more about meeting HIPAA compliance or understand what HIPAA specifically covers? Our FAQ has all the answers to everything you ever wanted to know about HIPAA, HITECH, penalties, audits and more. (Read More)
Who needs to be HIPAA Compliant: The HIPAA Security Rule applies to all health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and to any healthcare provider who transmits protected health information (PHI) in electronic form, or electronic protected health information (ePHI). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, those that fall under this category are known…(Keep Reading)
Otava provides secure, compliant hybrid cloud solutions for service providers, channel partners and enterprise clients. By actively aggregating best-of-breed cloud companies and investing in people, tools, and processes, Otava’s global footprint continues to expand. The company provides its customers with a clear path to transformation through its highly effective solutions and broad portfolio of hybrid cloud, data protection, disaster recovery, security and colocation services, all championed by its exceptional support team. Learn more at www.otava.com.