vendredi 26 avril 2019

HIPAA Management Solutions Compliance For Healthcare Institutions

By Nancy West


Healthcare institutions have files under their database that contains information regarding their patients. Administrative and management information are also stored in there. These are all confidential and should be protected against malicious intents. They should also comply with the HIPAA management solutions regulated to them.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a federal law created in 1996. Its primary purpose is to protect the confidentiality of healthcare information, simplifying administration, keep records of healthcare insurance, and secure electronic records. It also gives patient the rights as to who can look into their medical records.

Incorporated in their database is the software for document management systems. They need this to comply with the points previously stated. Pertinent information is stored, tracked, recorded, and managed by the software. It handles large volumes of data, as well as helps organize their files. It is their document repository which is easily searched.

There are however additional features that the law would like them to have. At the top of that list is the user authentication. They need to be authorized people in order to access private information. In relation, the system has to be strong and secure to prevent any unauthorized access from happening. The law suggests a multi factor authentication. Here, a security code will be temporarily given aside from their passwords. This minimizes the chances of cyber attacks.

In relation, they should install electronic security systems like firewalls and cyber security tools. It comes with an operating system which includes software for virus protection and spyware removal. This ensures that sensitive administrative information as well as patient records does not get into malicious hands. They should always keep notes to remind them in updating these systems regularly. It not only maximizes data protection but it also has comprehensive information and protection on the current trends in cyber attacks.

The importance and sensitivity of information should be the basis in arranging them into groups. Encryption and security locks are not needed in common and benign data. It is the important ones that require them. Assigning them into security levels would allow authorized people access.

Encryption means translating and encoding information that only authorized people can access and read. The cryptographic algorithm translates the plain text into a jumble of numbers and letters that is impossible to read by those unauthorized. It would be better if they can get a systems software with a higher bit of encryption to increase impossibility of breach.

The law requires transparency and honesty in their records. The system has an audit trail embedded on it so they can see which people have read this certain information. The system administrator can also modify the security level of the information and the people who can access it.

They also need to have plans for backup and recovery in case there are unforeseen events. It may either be due to cyber attacks, software problems, or natural calamities. Their provider, who is an act compliant, has an off site center to store their back up files. In case system failure occurs in that center, the provider has a backup of that stored.




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