HIPAA-compliant entities have shored up every aspect of the organization, from email to paper, waiting room to cloud server.
The complexity of today’s omni-channel health care delivery means HIPAA-covered entities must pay attention to the compliance aspects of an almost overwhelming number of touch points. While resources like a HIPAA compliance checklist can be helpful, the task of securing such an expansive set of channels remains a big job.
HIPAA requirements for securing protected health information (PHI) apply to both covered entities and business associates. This makes the health care compliance officer’s big job even bigger, as he or she must ensure third-parties are as diligent with their PHI security. Fortunately, there are several ways to mitigate risks of non-compliance. We like to think of them as the “three Ts” of HIPAA compliance management:
- Training
- Technology
- Testing
TRAINING: HIPAA Compliance Training
Comprehensive and ongoing HIPAA compliance training, while typically deployed only internally, can have a spill-over effect as employees of the covered entities interact with those of the business associate. Those “did you know” moments can inject a good deal of awareness and education across both sides of the relationship. So, too, can a healthy dose of positive workplace peer pressure.
TECHNOLOGY: Compliance in the Cloud
Partnering with a cloud-based compliance provider can reduce some of the headache for staff, especially when it comes to manually mapping controls to what could be hundreds of compliance standards. A cloud compliance provider can automate some of the discovery and analysis, as well as simplify reporting on HIPAA requirements.
TESTING: IT audits and risk assessments
Simply setting a schedule for regular and ongoing audits and updated risk assessments has a dramatic effect on the stress and anxiety compliance officers can sometimes feel. Fears they are “forgetting something” are lessened when they – and their leadership – know a thorough check is right around the corner.
Keeping track of all the different delivery channels and touch points that must be secured is a massive undertaking. With the help of training, technology and testing, however, much of the burden is lifted. SIMBUS360 offers all three. Schedule a demo today to learn how our team can help lighten the load for yours.