The Most Common HIPAA Mistakes To Avoid

Personal health care information and medical records are undoubtedly the most sensitive information.

Numerous businesses, including clinics, hospitals, and doctors, provide critical healthcare services and may be attacked by cybercriminals, hackers, and other hostile actors.

In 1996, as a result, the HIPAA was adopted, with severe fines and penalties for HIPAA infractions. Suppose you are uncertain as to whether or not your company violates HIPAA regulations.

In this instance, you will need to seek out cybersecurity consulting businesses specializing in HIPAA compliance strategies to assist covered entities.

Not Securing And Encrypting Data

The failure to properly encrypt and protect data is likely the most typical HIPAA breach. This is partially due to the numerous possible outcomes.

Sometimes, corporations erroneously believe that encryption is not required since it is designated as “addressable” rather than “required,” while other times, breaches result from simple employee error.

Encrypting data can greatly strengthen the security of an organization. The loss of encrypted data does not constitute a HIPAA violation unless the encryption key is compromised. Proper employee training for using the HIPAA compliance software is almost totally responsible for preventing additional security incidents.

Device Theft

As providers consider HIPAA violations, device theft rarely comes to mind. However, lost or stolen gadgets are a significant source of HIPAA investigations and penalties.

The OCR thinks that between 2009 and 2021, the PHI of up to half of all Americans has been lost or stolen. Many occurrences occur because portable electronic devices are lost or stolen and not encrypted.

These products are easy to steal due to their tiny size, concealability, and typical appearance. They can be seized from individuals, offices, automobiles, and houses.

There are two basic strategies to defend your organization against this infraction. First, to encode all protected health information on all devices. This ensures that information is safeguarded even if a device has been stolen.

Employee Misconduct

Employee misconduct is comparable to data security breaches. It can occur in a variety of ways and is frequently unintentional. Sadly, not all security failures are so harmless.

Employees may intentionally exploit their PHI access and reveal patients’ private information through chatter, social media, or other means. Consequences for willful HIPAA violations are significantly more severe. Again, your organization can be protected in two ways.

The first is to ensure that PHI access is restricted to just those employees who require it to perform their duties. The second step is to guarantee that all personnel obtains HIPAA-compliant training. This will prevent unauthorized entry. It will also ensure that employees know the significant risks and penalties associated with noncompliance.

Insufficient Staff Training

Employee training avoids nearly all other items on this list. Thus, it should be no surprise that poor training is among the most frequent HIPAA infractions each year.

There seems to be no alternative to providing your workers with comprehensive HIPAA training and confirming that they completely comprehend the applicable requirements. Conducting successful training can be tough, however, especially when the healthcare industry continues to grow and adapt.

Conclusion

You should know your organization’s essential procedures to stop HIPAA violations and fines. Numerous providers believe they are HIPAA-compliant, yet fail to identify the following errors. No paperwork exists, no complaint response process and no HIPAA-compliant insurance exists.

And frequently to the extreme financial disadvantage of the enterprise, clinic, or healthcare provider. Examine your current HIPAA compliance status to determine if you are slipping into any hazards.

Early engagement with a HIPAA & cybersecurity professional partner is the most important takeaway. By managing the ever-increasing complexity of HIPAA, your fines and punishments will become as low as possible.

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• The Risks Of Storing Data