What is HIPAA Security Risk Assessment Of Your Business?

 

HIPAA Security Risk Assessment

HIPAA is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, it provides data security and privacy guidelines to protect medical information of a patient. HIPAA compliance assures that the patient information will be kept confidential and secure.

Any medical practice, health insurance plan, third party clearing house or any business involved with healthcare have to abide by HIPAA. For HIPAA security risk assessment you can approach the providers who help you achieve your compliance goals.

HIPAA is divided into 5 Titles out of which Title 2 defines the policies, procedures and guidelines for maintaining the security and the privacy of the individual health information. HIPAA Title 2 also states the various offenses related to healthcare and sets the civil and criminal penalties if violated.

A HIPAA compliant business will have a significantly reduced risk of breaches and they will be able to avoid the penalties. You will be able to demonstrate to everyone that their information is secure with you and this will help to build trust.

HIPAA assessment process

The major steps in the assessment process are as follows:

The key elements of a business are assessed to define an actionable scope as per the business requirements.

In the gap assessment process the approvers and certified auditors take a close look at the organization business processes, the controls implemented and existing and potential business requirements. They are compared with the HIPAA requirements.

An internal audit is conducted by auditors to determine the status of the implemented HIPAA controls that are in compliance with the regulations and organization policy procedure requirements.

HIPAA Title 2

It is divided into the following:

Privacy rule

This rule establishes the national standard for the protection of certain health information. It is also called the Standard of Privacy for Individually Identifiable Health Information. 

Security rule 

This rule establishes a set of security standards for protection of certain health information that is held or transferred in electronic form. It is also called the Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information.    

Breach rule

This rule requires the HIPAA entities and their associates to provide notifications following an unsecured protected health information breach.