Why do data center companies need to be HIPAA compliant?

As data centers store, process, and participate in transmitting protected health information, they become potential targets for hacks and bad actor instances. To ensure data protection, data centers need to be HIPAA compliant.

What are the approaches to finding HIPAA compliant data centers?

The best way to assess if a data center or data center service provider is HIPAA compliant is by reviewing their HROC (HIPAA Record of Compliance) document.

What is the importance of HIPAA compliant data centers?

Healthcare organizations have now identified the value and associated costs of going digital. However, this digital revolution has had its fair share of disadvantages too. Organizations now store and process PHI electronically either on a cloud database or a database whose servers are on-prem, thus making them potential targets for hackers looking to breach insecure online security systems. Attackers target data centers that process or store PHI and exploit vulnerabilities to gain access to millions of patients' records. HIPAA compliant data centers help to minimize security incidents.

HIPAA Archives

Blogs, HIPAA

HIPAA Compliant Data Centers: How to Assess Them

TL,DR: A HIPAA-compliant data center must hold a HIPAA Report On Compliance (HROC) document as the gold standard for verification. Target paid $18.5 million in settlement after a breach through one of its HVAC vendors Required elements include documented disaster recovery plans, physical access controls (RFID and surveillance), IP separation for ePHI storage, periodic risk…

Blogs, Cybersecurity, HIPAA

Healthcare Cybersecurity: Essential Practices for Protection

TL,DR: Healthcare cyber security protects patient data, clinical systems, medical devices, and healthcare operations. Key threats include ransomware, phishing, insider risk, third-party exposure, and data breaches. Strong safeguards include HIPAA controls, access reviews, backups, monitoring, and employee training. In October 2021, a Japanese hospital was forced to shut down operations for months. Malicious actors encrypted…

Blogs, HIPAA

How to Ensure HIPAA Compliance for Software?

TL,DR: Software handling ePHI must comply with HIPAA’s Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, covering encryption, access control, audit logging, and vendor agreements. Audit logs tracking ePHI access must be tamper-proof and retained for at least six years. Core technical safeguards include AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2 or higher in transit, role-based access control,…

Blogs, HIPAA

What is a HIPAA Identifier and How is it Used?

TL,DR: HIPAA identifiers are 18 specific data attributes that can identify an individual, including name, geographic location, dates, phone numbers, SSN, medical record numbers, IP addresses, biometric identifiers, and full-face photographs PHI is created only when any of the 18 identifiers are linked to health information. Direct identifiers (like SSN) identify a person alone, while…

Blogs, HIPAA

What Is a HIPAA Consent Form and Why It Matters?

TL,DR: A HIPAA consent form lets covered entities use or disclose PHI under defined conditions. It should explain PHI use, patient permissions, privacy duties, complaint rights, contacts, purpose, and expiration. The article covers consent versus authorization, when HIPAA requires authorization, and includes a downloadable template. Healthcare practices and research centers access, transmit and store patient…

Blogs, HIPAA

HIPAA Compliant Text Messaging Rules and Safeguards

TL,DR: HIPAA-compliant text messaging requires sufficient technical safeguards including end-to-end encryption, access controls, and audit trails. Standard SMS does not meet HIPAA standards because messages lack adequate encryption Messaging is compliant when patients are informed of texting risks, consent is obtained, end-to-end encryption is implemented, access controls are enforced, and complete audit trails are maintained…