The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, was created to protect and preserve the privacy of patient data and protected health information (PHI). You are likely familiar with HIPAA if you work in the medical industry.
Your practice might not have the right systems in place to protect your patients' data due to increased demand for telehealth services and remote appointments. HIPAA compliance might not apply to you if you use standard video conferencing software. This is especially true if you are discussing PHI.
The good news? HIPAA Compliance Software has many key benefits that will ensure your practice is providing the best possible care while protecting the privacy of your patients.
HIPAA compliance software provides three key features:
- Self-auditing
- Assessment and management of risk
- Secure communication with patients
HIPAA Compliant vs. HIPAA-compliance
HIPAA compliant software should be used in all medical software. However, not all medical software must comply with HIPAA.
HIPAA compliance and HIPAA compliant software are two different things. HIPAA software is designed to help businesses or practices maintain compliance, whereas HIPAA software indicates compliance with HIPAA guidelines.
Self-auditing will Help Protect Your Practice Against Security Breaches
To ensure your HIPAA compliance, your business must complete five self-audits per year.
- Audit of security standards
- Risk assessment audit
- Audit of assets and devices
- Audit of physical security
- Audit to ensure compliance with HITECH sub-d.
These audits are time-consuming and taxing for covered entities. This software helps you keep track of them and ensures you have all the documentation you need to prove you've done each one.
Assess and Manage the HIPAA Compliance Risk
Software often includes risk management and risk assessment tools that will help you prioritize the fixes for any gaps discovered during self-audits. It will first assess the risk of non-compliance with HIPAA for a covered entity and give you a score.
Click Here to Read More About: Athena EMR
This is a great way to determine if there are any gaps that you should fill. Risk management is where it comes in. Once the software has assessed whether your organization is at high risk, it will help prioritize your efforts to fix any issues that may be preventing you from being HIPAA compliant.
Failure to conduct regular risk assessments can lead to costly HIPAA violations.
Securely Communicate with your Patients and Protect Their PHI
Telemedicine became a more common option for healthcare providers during the COVID-19 epidemic. HIPAA compliance software has never been more valuable due to the increased adoption of telehealth and the reliance on remote communication from patients. It is more difficult to protect sensitive patient data and personal information when you are not able to communicate with patients in person.
Click Here to Read More About: NextGen EMR
One of the most serious HIPAA violations that can be flagged by a covered entity is the sending of an email, text or remote communication that contains sensitive data or PHI, without ensuring the submission method is secure.
Many software packages include a secure communication function that allows doctors and nurses to send encrypted messages to patients remotely.
Choose the Right Software to Fit Your Needs
These are just a few features that this software provides. Our buyer guide provides more information.
Click Here to Read More About: Cerner EMR
Now that you know how this software can help your company, learn about the best-rated products. After you have narrowed down the list of potential vendors, read reviews from actual people to help you choose which one is right for you.
Post a Comment