by Kristine Stauffer, June 30, 2022
Healthcare Data and HIPAA(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) Compliance are a constant challenge with the healthcare continuum. With information breaches on the rise, many patients fear personal information might be compromised. Cyber security and technology should be considered priority for all healthcare providers.
Let’s consider what could happen if your office was a victim of data breach. Many practices have thousands of patients in multiple locations which could turn into HIPAA violations across multiple states including hefty fines up to $50,000 per violation for your organization.
According to the 2021 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report, the national hospital turnover rate is 19.5%. With employees coming and going, data management and security should be reviewed more frequent. In the past, most healthcare companies made reviews annually but the new norm with higher turnover might require quarterly review.
There are many solutions for protecting your business through reputable companies that manage data security. Internal solutions also define your risk for breaches. Ensure your employees are trained, at minimum, annually. The stronger policies for training and security help with the role you play in protecting your patient data.
Consider your current security and don’t be afraid to explore your options to protect healthcare data so you won’t be the next victim.
References:
(2018) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Available at: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) | CDC (Accessed: May 25,2022).
Editor unknown. (2017) What are the Penaties for HIPAA Violations? Available at: https://www.hipaaguide.net/hipaa-violation-penalties/ (Accessed: May 25,2022).
Author unknown (2022) 2021 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report. Pg 18. Available at: NSI_National_Health_Care_Retention_Report.pdf (emergingrnleader.com) (Accessed: May 25,2022).
