Steps to Handle HIPAA Violations

Healthcare insurance portability and accountability (HIPAA) or famously known as HIPAA compliance and HIPAA Violations is all we can hear right now. It involves a greater deal of data and its confidentiality. The importance of HIPAA can be simply understood by the fact that it came into existence in order to protect your confidential health-related data by the involved organizations and institutions.

When you visit any hospital, what is the first thing that they request you to do? Yes, you guessed it right, you have to fill a form with your basic info. But here is the twist, what if a stranger asked you to do it. Would you do it? No, and the answer is linked to THE BIG QUESTION MARK ON SECURITY of the shared information and data. The hospital or the organization providing health services should be HIPAA compliant or else it would cause a great deal of data security-related risks.

Protect yourself from HIPAA Violations

There are some things that we usually don’t see coming and they cause us the greatest loss. Its the ripple in the ocean that can disrupt the peace. Why do you need to stop the violations?

They say, “When you hear hoofs, think horse, not zebra.”

In this case, its quite evident that confidential data can be violated, manipulated, and misinterpreted. In today’s age, if you are leading a business that involves data especially a third party’s data. It goes without saying that you need to protect it and you will be protecting your own business or organization. To make it more secure and less complicated. So is it zebra or horse for you?

HIPAA Violations empower you to safeguard your data. You can save data in any form where it’s electronic, written, physical, or verbal form. It can be stolen and misused, and hacking or phishing attacks are quite common nowadays. Because cybersecurity is a big concern at the moment, and you have to navigate data privacy in order to save your business from any unpleasant surprises.

Don’t’ worry, we will find it out together!

What are the areas at risk of HIPAA violations?

You can have a quick look at the following areas and see if you can avoid HIPAA violations and also look for loopholes to make any timely arrangements for compliance. There are different areas to avoid risks and protect the data’s sanctity.

It can be:

1. Data at the Administrative Level
2. Physical Security of Data
3. Technical Security for Confidentiality

While we were searching the “The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996”, we came across some interesting things. You’d be surprised to know that there are times when healthcare professionals can breach the HIPAA act. We already know that desperate times need desperate measures. So, when can the data violation becomes a non-threat act.

See for yourself:

• If the patient or the subject is deeply wounded, you can get the data.
• If there has been a criminal activity of high frequency such as stabbing, you can access the data.
• If there was proof or case of physical abuse or molestation, then the records can be accessed.
• If there is a chance for any suspicious activity that may result in the spread of infectious disease or an outbreak, you can take immediate action.

But those are some really crucial cases and you need to protect your data in order to avoid any undesired results or outcomes.

The Right Way to handle HIPAA Violations

There are many steps, that you can take to avoid violations and safeguard the patient’s healthcare information. There are even steps that can be taken by the employee, but it comes later once you’ve implemented the strategy within your organization.

The document was long and technical, so we decided to break it down into a simple version for you to quickly glance at it.

Take a look!

1. You have to go with technology, whether it’s adapting to new data storage software systems or cloud. You need to move the data immediately, the paper can be stolen, burnt and they are highly likely to go missing. But in a digital way, you can save the data at multiple points and trace it whenever you require it.
2. With the help of someone in charge who has expertise in security, privacy, and IT. You can protect your data and provide training to your employees.
3. Provide seminars and training to your employees, so the data is never compromised or disclosed. It shall give them the idea that they will be responsible if they do not deal carefully.
4. Put an immediate stop to any data breach that may occur. You can only do that if you already have a system in place and the data attack can be caught in between. Do you know why Microsoft and google built physical data centers for this very purpose? Yes, they are even giving services to clients.
5. If any data breach is found, you have to instantly follow the plan IMR ( Investigate-Mitigate-Respond). Because, if its a particular patience with a high level of breach, it can put your organization in a very difficult position deeming it untrustworthy.
6. If someone intentionally leaked the information or if someone is found guilty of disclosing the confidential data. It is important to take action and impose sanctions, that shall teach a lesson to others. The mistake will not b repeated witnessing the consequences as per sanctions.
7. Never, like never ever! Never give access to unauthorized personnel or any third party to your data or information containing important information. It’s forbidden!
8. You have to enable your system in every way whether its with technology or manual methods. Protect devices, create firewalls for data, and carefully store. Moreover, watch over your data, and here’s a tip too, your social media sites or website can also be a way to get in for the attacker. Put a watcher there whether its a privacy officer or a firewall.

Take the necessary steps now, or else the consequences can cost you so much more than you think.

Now is the Time – Avoid HIPAA Violations

You can have all the resources in the world, but if your data isn’t protected under a lawful act, it’s of no use. Because every passing moment, you are at the risk of a data breach or data theft. What do you need to do? You have to become a HIPAA complaint to protect the confidentiality of your patient’s or user’s data.

It seems quite horrible but there are always solutions to fight these hackers and to set a wall between the breach and your organization’s security. If you have some existing policies in works, then you need to step up. because the world is constantly evolving and you need to change with it.

Are you looking for a solution to avoid HIPAA violations? Do you need more information about how to become HIPAA compliant? Well, don’t worry and ask the best vteams experts in the global industry.

Don’t wait up, tell us today!

Note:

The information used in this article has been accessed from the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)” last updated March 29th, 2020. It is subject to change made by the original source or owner.