HIPAA for Small Business
HIPAA protects medical records. This includes safeguarding paper copies and computers. Several rules are in place that work with one another to keep medical data private. However, the rules are somewhat general so they can apply to as many businesses as possible.
What’s involved?
There is more to HIPAA than keeping data safe. Indeed, to be compliant, you have to find security gaps and close them quickly. Companies also need to do employee training, perform ongoing tests and more to maintain a peak level of security.
HIPAA small business requirements
HIPAA ensures providers protect patient safety and privacy. This seems simple, but remember that HIPAA rules are vague because they need to cover many entities. Essentially, the HIPAA rules that a company must follow are:
The Security Rule
This rule consists of three safeguards:
- Administrative:
- Defines who can read the data.
- Keeps track of who read the patient data.
- Creates copies of the data.
- Technical:
- Sets policies and steps around securing your system.
- Makes sure only people who need to see the data can see it.
- Protects medical data through encryption.
- Physical safeguards ensure paper copies and computers are safe.
The Privacy Rule
This rule stops employees from getting or sharing data unless they need to.
The Breach Notification Rule
This rule forces companies to fully reveal HIPAA compliance failures.
With the steady increase in cyberattacks, your company needs to be prepared. After all, attackers don’t just target large medical providers. They are a threat to small businesses that also have access to the same data. To prepare your business, you need to carry out ongoing risk tests and manage a secure system.
How an MSP can help with HIPAA
The rule is simple – protect patient data. Yet, this can be hard since each provider is different. HIPAA for dummies may seem like an easy option, but protecting medical data is not for beginners. Nonetheless, it is tough to know where to start and how to get the job done. This is where a managed service provider (MSP) comes in. An MSP like SecureTech can help you from start to finish.
We will take the time to learn your business to know what areas to focus on and how to secure each one. Located in San Antonio, TX, we can manage the technical details but make it as easy as a HIPAA for dummies book.
SecureTech has years of experience helping our clients become HIPAA compliant. Our HIPAA small business specialists can help you perform risk tests, conduct preventative maintenance, manage remote access and more.
If your business handles medical data, you need to follow HIPAA. Contact SecureTech today to see how we can help!