HIPAA Data Retention Requirements: A 2026 Guide with State-Wise Policies
TL,DR: HIPAA requires covered entities to retain compliance documentation for six years under 45 CFR 164.530(j) and 164.316, though medical records themselves fall under state laws that often mandate longer. The six-year rule covers policies, procedures, training logs, risk assessments, BAAs, breach documentation, and patient authorization records, measured from creation or last effective date, whichever…
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Dec 18, 2025
Components of HIPAA: Understanding its Rules, Requirements, and Compliance Obligations
TL,DR: HIPAA is built on 5 rules: Privacy Rule (PHI use), Security Rule (ePHI safeguards), Breach Notification Rule (reporting), Transactions and Code Sets Rule (standardized electronic transactions), and Unique Identifiers Rule The Security Rule requires 3 safeguard categories: administrative (risk assessments, training), physical (facility controls, workstation security), and technical (access controls, encryption, audit controls) The…
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Nov 30, 2025
HITRUST Compliance Certification: 5 Steps to Follow
HITRUST (Health Information Trust Alliance) Certification serves as a key benchmark for data protection in healthcare. According to the 2025 HITRUST Trust Report, organizations with HITRUST certifications reported an incident rate of only 0.59% in 2024, meaning 99.41% remained breach-free. Given the massive volume of sensitive data healthcare organizations handle, robust safeguards are critical. To address this,…
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Nov 25, 2025
HIPAA for Healthcare Professionals: A Complete Guide
In 2024, the healthcare sector experienced a staggering 566 data breaches, exposing over 170 million patient records—a dramatic rise from just 6 million in 2010. While the numbers for 2025 aren’t yet fully known, the trend is clear: patient data is increasingly at risk, and the stakes for healthcare organizations have never been higher. For companies…
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Oct 21, 2025
A Comprehensive Guide to HIPAA Compliance Audit
TL;DR Whether you are a covered entity or a business associate, receiving a communique from the Office of Civil Rights can be stressful. Hearing from the enforcing authority of HIPAA, one of the most stringent healthcare regulations in the world, sure isn’t what your dreams are made of. But on the off chance you do…
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Jul 18, 2025
HIPAA Security Rule for SMBs: Checklist, Risks & Automation
TL,DR: HIPAA Security Rule sets national standards for protecting electronic protected health information. It applies to covered entities, business associates, and subcontractors that handle ePHI. The article explains administrative, physical, and technical safeguards, risk assessments, access controls, and contingency planning. A patient can’t log in to your client’s health app. It starts with an innocuous…
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Jul 09, 2025
