Professional Telecommunications Blog

HIPAA Compliance and Cloud Computing

January 11th, 2018 by admin

If you work with patient files every day, then you've most likely heard of HIPAA. Anyone creating, storing, or transmitting electronic protected health information (ePHI) is required to be HIPAA compliant These regulations are aimed at protecting individuals who provide their personal and healthcare information to organizations and businesses. With technology integrated into most every aspect of our workplaces, keeping sensitive data secure is getting increasingly difficult. That's where your IT Service Provider comes into the picture.

PTS offers a range of IT solutions for the protection and proper storage of your data. In many cases, we recommend cloud solutions, thanks to their many mobility and business continuity features. One of the best ways to protect against ransomware attacks, in addition to ramping up network security measures, is having a good data backup and recovery solution in place. When your data is stored securely offsite, your business can recover that valuable data even after a disaster, outage, or server crash – an important part of being compliant. You also benefit from additional applications for a range of devices and easy data transfer for employee mobility.

If you're not sure about how to incorporate cloud solutions, take some time to read the HSS guidelines for HIPAA and Cloud Computing. To quote them directly: "May a HIPAA covered entity or business associate use a cloud service to store or process ePHI? Yes, provided the covered entity or business associate enters into a HIPAA-compliant business associate contract or agreement (BAA) with the [cloud service provider] CSP that will be creating, receiving, maintaining, or transmitting electronic protected health information (ePHI) on its behalf, and otherwise complies with the HIPAA Rules." To meet these requirements, our team has undergone specialized training, focused on providing maximum data protection, as well as preparing for possible audits.

We want to share our knowledge. Ask us about our HIPAA Compliance Assessment Report, which explains audit procedures and provides an in-depth report of possible risks and steps to take for full compliance. IT security isn't easy, but with PTS you have a trusted and trained adviser for all things HIPAA.

Source: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/cloud-computing/index.html

Tags: cloud computing, HIPAA, compliance, data protection, healthcare

Posted in: Solutions

HIPAA Compliance

February 16th, 2017 by admin

If you work with sensitive healthcare data or are otherwise required to comply with HIPAA, it's important that you are using up-to-date best practices for securing your data. You should have a policy in place for who can access various systems and files, how they receive access, and how to remove access quickly in case of a termination. All employees should be trained in HIPAA compliance standards and security policies, to minimize holes in your data protection. This includes educating them in how they should handle sensitive data at their workstations and manage password protections.

In addition to human elements in your HIPAA compliance, you as the business owner should ensure that certain hardware policies are in place. Malware and anti-virus software should protect your network from malicious online threats. Your backup system should include disaster recovery measures to safely and quickly restore data after something happens. Also, don't forget to treat your old data and equipment with care - make sure that old storage devices are wiped by certified IT technicians, so no one can access the data when you dispose of the equipment.

There are so many more things to keep in mind with HIPAA compliance. That is why we offer a free HIPAA Compliance Assessment Report, listing all of your current risks, mitigation strategies, security recommendations, and worksheets, to prepare you for possible audits. Make sure you're ready. Talk to us right away if you have any questions.

Tags: access control, HIPAA compliance, security, threats

Posted in: Services