A complete guide to help developers understand HIPAA Compliance and its implications for application development.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, was made federal law in 1996, setting a national standard to protect medical records and other personal health information. HIPAA Compliant Hosting by Atlantic.Net is SOC 2 and SOC 3 certified and designed to secure and protect critical healthcare data, electronic protected health information (ePHI), and health records per the requirements of HIPAA.
Selecting the right web hosting service is crucial for HIPAA compliance, helping organizations protect themselves from costly fines and legal nightmares. But before you choose the right HIPAA-compliant hosting, you need to understand what HIPAA is and why it is so important.
This guide will provide you with critical information about HIPAA and how to implement HIPAA compliance in your organization. We have tried to keep it straightforward and written in plain language
A Complete Guide to HIPAA Compliance
01 - About
02 - What Is HIPAA?
03 - Who Needs to Be HIPAA-Compliant?
04 - What Is Required for HIPAA Compliance?
- Self-Audits
- Remediation Plans
- Policies, Procedures, Employee Training
- Documentation
- Business Associate Management
- Incident Management
05 - Checklist to Confirm HIPAA Compliance
- Introduction
- Benefits of HIPAA Compliance
- Protects Patient Information
- Helps Companies Transition to Digital
- Holds the Involved Parties Responsible and Accountable
- Reduces Costs for Companies
07 - Cloud Computing in the Healthcare Industry
- Why Is Cloud Computing So Appealing for Healthcare?
- Benefits of Cloud Computing for Healthcare
- How to Select a Strong Healthcare Host
08 - IT Solutions for the Healthcare Industry
- Introduction
- What Are IT Solutions for the Healthcare Industry?
- How Healthcare Organizations Can Benefit from Managed IT Services
- How to Choose the Right Managed IT Service for Your Healthcare Organization
09 - How to Build a HIPAA Compliant Python Application on the Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform
- Introduction
- Why Is Python Beneficial for Healthcare?
- Factors to Consider When Building HIPAA Compliant Python Application
- Core Design Requirements of HIPAA Compliant Python Applications
10 - How to Choose the Right HIPAA Platform for Your New Application
- Features of a HIPAA Compliant App for Patients
- Features of a HIPAA Compliant App for Doctors and Healthcare Centers
- Choosing the Right HIPAA Platform
- Business Associate Agreement
- Security Practices of the Vendor
- Effective and Periodic Risk Assessment and Self-Audits
- Support
- Service Level Agreement
- Data Center
- Final Thoughts
11 - Importance of Disaster Recovery for HIPAA Compliance
12 - How to Make Your WordPress Website HIPAA Compliant
- Introduction
- Setting up a Sample HIPAA WordPress Website
- Things to Consider When Building Websites with WordPress
13 - How to Make Your Drupal Website HIPAA Compliant
- Start with a HIPAA-Compliant Infrastructure
- Focus on Interoperability
- Website Security
- Securing Data Collection
- Data Access Control
- Backup and Recovery
- Monitor and Retain Logs
- Business Associate Agreement
14 - How to Make Your cPanel Host HIPAA Compliant
- HIPAA Compliance for cPanel Depends on Hosting
- Shared Responsibility Model
- Secure Apache
- Secure Your Database
- Secure PHP
15 - How to Make Your NextCloud File Share Server HIPAA Compliant
- Atlantic.Net Offers a HIPAA-Compliant NextCloud File Sharing Solution
- HIPAA-Compliant Cloud Storage and File Sharing
16 - The Importance of Encryption in the Healthcare Sector
- What Is Encryption, exactly?
- HIPAA on Encryption
- Hackers Prey on Health Data
- Encryption Helps You Meet HIPAA Security Requirements
- Healthcare Is Getting More Connected
- Cost Saving Opportunities
17 - Why Multi-Factor Authentication Is Essential for Healthcare
- What Is Multi-Factor Authentication?
- Multi-Factor Authentication Requirements for HIPAA
- How MFA Addresses Certain Security Vulnerabilities
- How MFA Helps You Meet HIPAA Password Requirements
18 - HIPAA Security Services on the Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform
- Intrusion Prevention System
- Access Control Management
- Dedicated Managed Firewall & Encrypted VPN
- Trend Micro Security Suite
19 - Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
20 - About Atlantic.Net
HIPAA is an acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Healthcare is a vast industry serving patients from varied backgrounds with different medical histories. Securing sensitive information is essential in maintaining the confidentiality of patient data. Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996 to protect sensitive patient information. HIPAA comprises a set of rules and regulations that define how and when healthcare organizations and their business associates can use and disclose protected health information (PHI).
To keep a close eye on mandatory HIPAA compliance, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) strictly enforces the law on the various organizations dealing with sensitive patient details. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) monitors the industry to ensure there are no lapses or breaches in the system. All healthcare businesses are required to do everything necessary to prevent the mishandling of protected health information.
To understand who needs to comply with HIPAA’s standard rules, it is particularly important to understand what exactly HIPAA protects. HIPAA legislation is designed to safeguard protected health information (PHI).
This includes patients’ demographic information, phone numbers, financial information, Social Security numbers, and medical information. These PHI details are regularly stored, transferred, and accessed through various electronic hosts like the Atlantic.Net Cloud. Once it is stored on a computer or in the cloud, sensitive medical data is known as electronic protected health information or ePHI.
Regulated under the HIPAA Security Rule, ePHI was added to the set of regulations to account for all the changes in the healthcare industry as technology has become more incorporated into everyday processes.
As defined under the HIPAA, the organizations are identified as belonging to one of the following two categories for mandatory compliance with HIPAA.
According to HIPAA’s definition of covered entities, the term includes organizations like health insurance providers, health care providers, and health care clearinghouses that are regularly involved in dealing with the collection, creation, or transmission of ePHI. All covered entities must be HIPAA compliant.
Due to the enormous volume of information available in the healthcare sector, many covered entities sign contracts with third-party organizations that deal with ePHI on their behalf. These organizations are defined under the HIPAA regulations as business associates. Business associates are also required to follow HIPAA guidelines.
Some of the common examples of HIPAA-covered business associates are IT service providers, billing companies, third-party consultants, cloud or physical storage services, accountants, shredding companies, mail hosting services, and more.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 was introduced to provide citizens with certain rights regarding how their health information must be handled. More than 20 years have elapsed since the legislation was passed and many legacy rules have been amended within (and new rules added to) HIPAA legislation.
Four major rules comprise HIPAA, namely the Privacy, Security, Breach Notification, and Final Omnibus rules. These rules are collectively responsible for outlining requirements for the protection of the security and privacy of patient data.
Every patient has the right to decide how their health information is used. The HIPAA Privacy Rule was set up to standardize the laws surrounding patient privacy. The Privacy Rule applies only to covered entities, not business associates.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule entitles patients to certain rights regarding their PHI, such as the right to examine and obtain a copy of their health records and the right to make corrections or changes they feel need to be done to their records. The rule also mandates that healthcare providers must deny any outsider access to the PHI without patient consent.
The goal of the Privacy Rule is to reduce the risk of mishandling PHI, striking a balance between how health information can be used and shared without violating the privacy of patients receiving medical care.
In today’s world, it is almost impossible to maintain and process data manually. Maintaining data confidentiality and avoiding unauthorized access when data is transmitted and processed electronically requires a secure pathway.
The full title of the HIPAA Security Rule is “Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information”. As the official title suggests, the Security Rule defines the stipulations required to safeguard ePHI, specifically relating to how the information is stored and transmitted between digital devices.
Due to the sensitive nature of protected health information, a data breach of PHI or ePHI must be managed as soon as possible, and that includes notifying the patients involved. To ensure that health data breaches are overseen appropriately, the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule sets certain standards for covered entities and business associates on how they must manage a data breach.
Based on the scale and scope of the breach, the rule divides beaches into two major categories - Minor Breaches and Meaningful Breaches. Although organizations are bound to report any kind of data breach regardless of its scale or scope to HHS OCR, the specific approach taken to report and manage the issue depends on the type of breach that has taken place.
Even though HIPAA covers rules for all entities working with PHI or ePHI, the original HIPAA legislation left a gap in protections that addressed the contracts between the business associates and the covered entities. The HIPAA Omnibus Rule expanded the original HIPAA regulations, adding a mandate that business associates were also required to follow the HIPAA rules.
This rule also defines the regulations of Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). BAAs are agreements or contracts executed between the covered entities and the business associates outlining each party’s responsibilities concerning HIPAA protections.
For more information, read HIPAA Compliance Guidelines and Rules.
To fulfill HIPAA compliance, the following standards must be addressed by covered entities and business associates.
Covered entities must run annual audits within their organizations to assess any physical, technical, or administrative lapses while complying with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. These self-audits are also applicable to business associates.
Following the self-audit, action must be taken to document and address any gaps in HIPAA compliance, including the dates that the gap was addressed.
Covered entities and business associates must implement a set of policies and procedures to which every employee must adhere while working with PHI. Organizations must update their rules and regulations periodically to ensure they reflect any changes in the organization. Employees must read the policies and receive training on them annually. Proper documentation must be maintained to demonstrate employees have received and understand the training.
Covered entities and business associates must document every step taken to become HIPAA-compliant. This documentation is of utmost importance and is required to pass HIPAA audits and during HIPAA investigations by HHS OCR.
Whenever HIPAA-covered organizations share PHI with any vendor in any form, they must enter and execute Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) to avoid the possibility of mishandling the data. These BAAs must be reviewed annually and updated to incorporate any updates about organizational changes.
No rule, policy, or procedure offers 100% protection from human error or technical glitches. Even with robust policies in place to protect PHI according to HIPAA rules, the possibility of a data breach still exists.
In the event of any data breach, covered entities and business associates must abide by a defined process to document the incident and notify patients that their data has been compromised per the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule.
For any covered entities and business associates, HIPAA compliance is of utmost importance. To achieve compliance, they must fulfill every requirement mentioned under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule, HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, and HIPAA Omnibus Rule. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act 2009 also plays a significant role in HIPAA compliance.
Atlantic.Net fulfills every criterion under the HIPAA compliance checklist, enhancing its trustworthy reputation as a HIPAA hosting company.
Following are some points you can verify to ensure an organization is not missing out on any requirements for HIPAA compliance.
- Does the organization perform required annual audits that match its operational needs?
- Does the organization conduct audits and assessments to analyze the efficiency of its HIPAA-covered processes, analyze the results, and document them if any deficiencies are found?
- When deficiencies are identified, does the organization build a remediation plan, implement it, check if the plan is working at least annually, and make changes that reflect the findings of audits?
- If an organization is unable to achieve these requirements internally, do they have a relationship with an external HIPAA Compliance, Privacy, and Security Officer?
- Does the organization ensure that a HIPAA Security Officer conducts the annual HIPAA training for all employees in the organization?
- Does the organization ensure that employees are HIPAA-trained and that its staff's attestation of the HIPAA policies and procedures is documented?
- Does the organization perform earnest checks of its business associates for HIPAA Compliance and review its BAAs annually?
- Does the organization regularly review its process for handling any breaches and how to report them to the HHS OCR?
When HIPAA was introduced in 1996, its purpose was merely to maintain the confidentiality of people's health information when they lost their jobs. Today, it is an all-encompassing framework mandating that healthcare organizations protect patient information.
The US government has made HIPAA compliance mandatory for all entities in the healthcare industry like care providers, plan providers, and clearinghouses.
While becoming compliant with the outlined standards can be cumbersome, there are benefits to compliance for both companies and patients.
In this section, we explore some known benefits of HIPAA compliance.
The main reason for HIPAA is to protect patient information. It’s HIPAA’s raison d'être.
One of the original objectives of HIPAA was to enable Americans to move their health insurance between jobs. This was a clear-cut goal that was achieved almost overnight. This is how the first P in HIPAA - “Portability” - became effective. This aspect of the law is rarely discussed, simply because the goal was achieved immediately.
Another key objective of the law - to enforce privacy over health information - is what most healthcare organizations and professionals are primarily concerned with (the “Accountability” portion of HIPAA). This objective was created to safeguard the privacy and security of US citizens’ PHI.
The information that HIPAA protects includes the following:
- The name of the doctor or healthcare organization that provided the treatment.
- Conversations you've had with the physician, nurses, or a specialist regarding your condition.
- Any information that the insurers might be storing about you.
- Billing data that is used at the clinic for your treatment.
- Any other personally identifiable health information.
Besides safeguarding the patient's information, HIPAA also grants several rights to the patient:
- The patient can request their information and medical records on demand.
- The patient is allowed to make changes to their records wherever relevant and appropriate.
- The patient can make authoritative decisions regarding the sharing of their personal information with others.
- The patient can file a complaint if they think the records have been shared without their consent.
By protecting patients’ confidentiality and enumerating their rights concerning their health records, HIPAA protects and empowers vulnerable patients.
Many healthcare organizations and insurance companies have acknowledged the importance of digitization. It increases efficiency while reducing cost.
Thanks to the clarification of responsibilities in HIPAA legislation, healthcare companies can make use of the HIPAA framework for quicker results when transitioning to digital technologies and processes. Web-based SaaS platforms are already designed to comply with the HIPAA framework. You can make use of these platforms and digitize your operations.
Selecting a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider like the Atlantic.Net Cloud should be a priority. There's no need to invest thousands or millions of dollars into R&D or start from scratch on a HIPAA-compliant solution.
Such centralized HIPAA-compliant platforms are capable of synchronizing patient information from various sources and provider touchpoints. You'll be able to manage all kinds of data on applications including websites, patient registration tools, and telemedicine platforms for consultation and post-discharge follow-ups.
Furthermore, HIPAA also lays out the security measures you need to follow. By following them, you'll be able to keep the medical records safe by defining who can access specific kinds of health data and who can't.
Typically, several businesses are involved in providing care to a patient. These include independent physicians, doctors, nursing homes, hospitals, HMOs, pharmacies, and more.
These businesses often operate independently of each other. When there's a breach, this obscures responsibility for the data leakage.
But with HIPAA in place, authorities can identify the specific business or businesses that were responsible and levy penalties on them. In this way, HIPAA allows for fairer enforcement and governance.
HIPAA compliance can offer cost-saving benefits as well.
First and foremost, HIPAA compliance helps protect healthcare businesses from expensive penalties. The Office for Civil Rights or OCR is quite strict when it comes to security breaches that expose sensitive information.
Breaches always attract penalties from the authorities. These penalties follow a tier system, and there are four tiers for HIPAA violations.
In the first tier, the covered entity wasn't aware of the breach, and the breach couldn't have been avoided.
In the most serious case, a fourth-tier violation, the entity was responsible for the breach, and there was negligence by that entity.
Fines for breaches can be in millions depending on the severity. If you follow the HIPAA guidelines, you can avoid such hefty fines.
Atlantic.Net provides a complete and fully audited HIPAA platform that includes everything you need to be HIPAA compliant.
The rapidly evolving world of virtualization has had a profound impact on the healthcare industry. Organizations have considerably shifted the way they generate, store, use, and share healthcare data. As the healthcare industry moves ever closer to complete digitalization, it has also begun to adopt best practices for data management.
Many healthcare organizations already use cloud technology to store their infrastructure or data and reap various other benefits such as reduced operational expenses, workflow optimization, and improved operational efficiency.
Let’s see how cloud computing impacts the healthcare industry.
New technology emerges at a rapid pace, especially in competitive industries like healthcare and medicine. Many healthcare facilities have already replaced their legacy systems in favor of cutting-edge infrastructures such as cloud-hosted solutions. This digital transformation streamlines workflows makes processes more efficient and allows employees to readily access crucial data. Additionally, processes across the organization become more patient-centric.
A cloud computing solution streamlines operations in healthcare organizations, making them more cost-efficient. With on-demand cloud computing, organizations can deploy, manage, and access network information, resources, and applications on-demand. When compared with custom-configuring multiple PCs in different departments of a healthcare business, a central cloud computing solution offers convenience and cost savings.
For example, a cloud strategy may involve the adoption of public cloud infrastructure in a healthcare facility to enable staff to retrieve resources or allow public access to critical health-related data. The facility may use the public cloud to remotely store data (excluding patient data). The public cloud is a much more cost-efficient and agile solution for the healthcare industry when compared with on-site infrastructure.
Alternatively, a private cloud can connect various healthcare providers for secure and seamless sharing of electronic documents or patients’ medical data. Such medical data may consist of:
- Patient claims and billings.
- Clinical applications such as pharmacy orders, healthcare expert inquiries, or EHRs.
- Non-clinical applications to manage revenue.
To further illustrate the advantages of cloud computing, let’s look at the benefits it offers the healthcare industry.
Cloud computing is beneficial for healthcare organizations and patients. It cuts down operational costs while also delivering exceptional, prompt, and quality care to patients. It also helps boost patient engagement with the help of various health plans and gives patients access to their medical data.
Cloud offers on-demand availability of resources like computing power and storage. With cloud computing, healthcare facilities don’t need to purchase servers or other required hardware. Storing data in the cloud does not incur upfront charges; you only need to pay for the resources you use. Thus, cost savings is one of the prominent advantages of cloud computing for healthcare industries.
Likewise, cloud computing creates an optimal environment to help organizations scale over time. As patient information accumulates in the form of records and data from apps and other sources, the cloud-based environment is flexible and ideal for scaling while keeping costs low.
Interoperability allows you to employ data integrations across a healthcare facility or ecosystem, regardless of the data’s point of origin. Cloud adoption fuels interoperability by keeping the patient data readily available for access and allowing healthcare staff to gain valuable insights that aid planning and delivery processes.
Cloud computing allows easy access to the patient information collected from various sources and allows that information to be shared with significant stakeholders to strategize treatment protocols and medical prescriptions. It also allows healthcare experts to review different medical cases and state their opinions, regardless of the patient's geographical location.
Storing a patient's medical data in the cloud allows interoperability among payments departments, pharmaceuticals, and other segments within a facility. This promotes seamless sharing of data among stakeholders and boosts efficiencies of various operations in the delivery pipeline. It empowers all stakeholders, patients, and doctors by providing access to precise data and key insights that promote better decision-making.
The advanced technology of cloud computing can streamline and speed up the processing of large datasets. Large structured and unstructured medical data sets are important assets for any healthcare facility. Patient data can be uploaded to the cloud where it is processed and synthesized.
Using big data analytics and AI algorithms, the healthcare industry aids medical research and helps reduce medical errors considerably.
Employing cloud-based analytics using patients’ medical data can help medical organizations create personalized healthcare plans. It also helps organizations easily extract the required patient information when and where it is needed.
When computing in the cloud, organizations can archive and retrieve patient information, records, and medical images in no time. Though cloud security is an important consideration (as with any computing solution), the cloud is still a reliable solution for data storage. The Atlantic.Net Cloud offers 100% uptime SLA, giving you the confidence to considerably reduce your data redundancy.
The cloud does not have a single touchpoint for data storage and can be configured to execute regular automated backups to facilitate data recovery.
One of the biggest advantages of cloud data storage is that it offers remote accessibility. Cloud computing enables various remote healthcare functions such as virtual medication dependability, telemedicine, and post-hospitalization medical care plans. It also enables telehealth for easy remote patient access to healthcare services.
Today, telemedicine apps provide an exceptionally convenient and user-friendly service to patients. Cloud-based applications and telehealth systems allow for the transfer of medical information across facilities to improve accessibility. This further helps them with healthcare delivery to patients during all phases of their treatment.
Cloud computing offers several out-of-the-box solutions to help predict and mitigate potential security risks and threats before they even occur.
When choosing an ideal healthcare host, it is important to be meticulous. Here are some of the questions that healthcare organizations need to consider during the selection process:
- How many years of experience does the host have?
- Does the host specialize in HIPAA-compliant hosting?
- Are they HIPAA certified?
- Are they HITECH certified?
- Do they have any SOC certification?
- What kind of security measures do they implement within their cloud infrastructure?
- Do they provide the flexibility to the user to modify systems?
Healthcare organizations can reap the benefits of using a third-party healthcare hosting company’s physical space in terms of security, cooling, and power management. Furthermore, third-party data centers also provide round-the-clock experts to manage logical network security, with strong cybersecurity and healthcare/HIPAA compliance measures.
Choosing the right healthcare host will empower you with a solid support model and provide a powerful, secure infrastructure while controlling your computing budget. It’s important to consider your host’s healthcare compliance status and whether their security measures come with any additional costs.
The Atlantic.Net Cloud is a powerful cloud computing platform that helps healthcare organizations deploy critical applications both in the cloud and on-premises. With no vendor lock-ins and reliable security directives, the Atlantic.Net Cloud helps healthcare facilities accelerate their digital transformation.
With strong cloud computing solutions, healthcare professionals can:
- Enhance their clinical productivity with the help of data transparency.
- Boost revenue by providing a personalized experience to patients.
- Streamline operations and deliver plans post-hospitalization.
- Leverage analytics to improve medical services.
Healthcare organizations execute myriads of processes daily, including documentation work for doctors and patients. Managing and streamlining various workflows in healthcare facilities can be quite challenging considering the large amount of medical data collected each day.
In addition to the need to keep processes organized and streamlined to reduce errors and save money, healthcare organizations want to offer the best quality healthcare services possible. IT solutions for the healthcare industry can help with both goals!
IT solutions specifically curated for the healthcare industry will simplify organizational workflows, infrastructure, data analytics, data management, and patient care, furthering the digital transformation of healthcare facilities.
Today, healthcare organizations are faced with challenges that include meeting compliance requirements, abiding by industry regulations, and maintaining cybersecurity measures. Managed IT services can help healthcare facilities solve critical IT challenges and employ robust cybersecurity directives to safeguard PHI (Protected Health Information). In addition to these benefits, managed IT services help organizations meet HIPAA regulations.
Deploying healthcare IT solutions requires the development, maintenance, and implementation of hardware and software in different areas of a healthcare facility. These solutions are designed and configured to automate and streamline healthcare workflows, enhance collaboration, enhance the patient experience, and improve patient care while efficiently cutting operational costs.
Some common IT solutions offered for the healthcare industry are:
- Electronic medical records (EMR)
- Telehealth or remote healthcare
- HIPAA-compliant networks, servers, and devices
- On-call or shift planning
- Financial management and billing systems
- Registration kiosks and self-service equipment
- Point-of-care devices
Atlantic.Net offers a robust HIPAA-compliant hosting platform wherein health facilities can create dedicated instances or hosts as per their requirements in no time. We also offer managed IT services to help you manage large medical datasets using the cloud and other cutting-edge technologies.
IT solutions for the healthcare industry are often more complex when compared with IT solutions for other niches. In the healthcare sector, workloads and infrastructures need to meet strict compliance regulations, while software and hardware are often selected specifically to meet the needs of the healthcare organization’s processes and services. Managed IT services help healthcare organizations with their IT burden by offering leading-edge technologies and beneficial features.
Following are some of the ways healthcare organizations can benefit from managed IT services.
Managed IT services with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) can help healthcare facilities deliver exceptional services with higher uptime and functionality. These services allow for seamless patient visits and easy maintenance of patient records.
The service provider ensures timely upgrades of your systems, allowing you to shift to cutting-edge technologies like telehealth apps and remote patient monitoring faster.
Transfer of PHI "Protected Health Information" is one of the major security concerns for healthcare facilities when using IT solutions, as sensitive data is at stake. Healthcare professionals need remote access to this information anywhere and anytime. Managed services with cloud IT solutions allow you to remotely access such information whether you’re working on-call, in a private office, on an ambulance, or in a hospital.
With healthcare IT solutions, easy access to information is possible without compromising the privacy of medical data. IT solution providers can employ data encryption throughout and monitor data accessibility and sharing round-the-clock to ensure maximum security. With managed IT services, you simply need to select your ideal IT solution, either a shared hosting or dedicated hosting service.
Patient care is the utmost priority of any healthcare facility. In a rapidly evolving digital world, optimal cybersecurity measures play a major role in maintaining the IT integrity of these organizations. Managed IT services will harden your IT infrastructure with multiple layers of security to always safeguard medical data.
Managed IT services employ network architects that meticulously design a secure network infrastructure that isolates the service for complete protection. This creates a fully private managed environment with access granted to only a few authorized entities. Managed IT services also leverage software and hardware firewalls strategically across the perimeter of networks.
Data encryption is not a mandatory element of HIPAA compliance regulations in all cases. Still, healthcare facilities need to impose best practices for data security and data management, and data encryption can help. Encrypting data at rest and during transmission ensures the privacy of the data if it is breached.
Managed IT solutions provide fully encrypted services, often paired with advanced KMS (Key Management System).
HIPAA compliance rules list an encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) as a mandatory element. A VPN is an encrypted, secure network connection established between an organizational and end-user network.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and other security technologies allow you to establish a secure connection with hosted infrastructure through a valid username and password. The VPN forms a secure network tunnel for the isolated and safe transfer of data without any breaches.
HIPAA compliance regulations also require you to back up and retrieve PHI (Protected Health Information) when needed. Managed IT services continuously back up medical data to retain its integrity. Per your organizational needs, an IT service provider creates a backup schedule and helps you retrieve data whenever needed.
Managed IT services commonly offer offsite replication services along with VM-level and file-level backup services. In case of a disaster, the managed IT service provider will help you shift the hosting platform to another location.
HIPAA-compliant managed IT services will make sure healthcare organizations always employ detailed logging, which is further monitored by the provider's expert team. Log management service often includes alerts on system errors, user activity, system changes, VPN activity, and so on.
An IPS (Intrusion Prevention Service) is equipped at specific critical points across a cloud network, working seamlessly with a network firewall. These IPS devices directly run over the network and inspect data packets to protect any local vulnerability from affecting the network layer.
Managed IT services generally provide round-the-clock customer support, especially important considering that the healthcare sector is a critical niche where lives are at stake.
Support teams are available to provide technical help through various mediums. These teams have immense expertise thanks to many years of advanced IT training. You are sure to get optimal technical support for any IT issue that may occur.
Choosing a managed IT service involves considering multiple factors. You need to ensure the service provider understands your organizational requirements and can help you boost ROI at scale. Indeed, as the healthcare industry has recognized the potential of digital transformation, many facilities have already switched to cloud hosting platforms. Many healthcare agencies rely on HIPAA-compliant hosting platforms to achieve workflow efficiencies. The following factors should be considered when selecting a provider.
#1: Range of IT services
A single service provider should be able to offer many IT solutions to cover your business needs. These services often include specialized hardware or software, cloud resources, on-premises resources, and so on. The managed IT provider will offer a business associate agreement and have access to your systems to offer HIPAA-compliant hosting. For this reason, it is recommended to choose a single reliable vendor that can handle most of your IT needs.
#2: TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)
TCO is known to impressively cut down capital expenditure and promote cost optimization. End-users don’t need to invest in servers, storage devices, expensive networks, or the hiring of trained experts to manage the infrastructure. Most managed IT service providers include access to cloud experts in the package itself. These providers also offer cost-effective subscription models where you only need to pay for what you use.
#3: Boost performance
Healthcare facilities have access to system resources round-the-clock with load balancing and scaling of host nodes, ensuring no performance degradation from noisy neighbors. You can get access to resources on-demand whenever needed.
#4: Boost productivity
Outsourcing IT solutions for the healthcare industry via a managed IT service provider is a worry-free way to secure PHI. Managed service providers will take care of all the HIPAA compliance regulations while you focus on patient care and management.
Python is one of the most popular programming languages. It is an object-oriented, high-level programming language that features fast development cycles and dynamic building options. Most importantly, Python is one of the safest languages to use for building confidential healthcare applications.
Today, the healthcare sector leverages the Python programming language for seamless database access, AI software development, web applications, and various programming models. The administrative, technical, and physical regulations of HIPAA legislation apply to all Python healthcare applications.
Here are some of the key benefits that the Python programming language provides to healthcare application development:
- Python easily helps you create a desktop or website application. Python is supported by a large community and offers a clear syntax, which gives it the much-needed flexibility to run on a variety of operating systems. While it can work seamlessly without an Internet connection, you can build applications that incorporate Internet connectivity as well.
- Python frameworks securely execute the exchange of data and information with other solutions. This is what makes Python ideal for the highly secure requirements of digital healthcare data. It can easily integrate with HIPAA-compliant backend databases to conform to all regulations.
- Python can reliably analyze large sets of data with the help of machine learning (ML) algorithms and extract valuable insights. It is often used by data scientists due to the impressive, wide-ranging libraries it offers, such as Scipy, Pandas, and NumPy.
Critical healthcare applications must be designed according to the HIPAA compliance framework whether the application is connected to the public network or used in-house. To secure the integrity and confidentiality of ePHI, healthcare organizations must consider HIPAA compliance right from the beginning of development planning. Healthcare applications must meet HIPAA’s fundamental security and privacy regulations.
When building HIPAA-compliant Python applications, there are two factors to consider:
- Privacy and security of the healthcare application.
- Privacy and security of the entire infrastructure.
Below are the main requirements that HIPAA-compliant Python applications need to adhere to.
Python applications must be built with integral user controls to secure the application from unauthorized access. Only approved, authorized individuals should be able to access the data and ePHI. These personnel can include members of various groups across the healthcare facility such as nurses, doctors, physicians, and administrative personnel. Defining user controls will enforce rules for which personnel is authorized to access what kind of PHI data.
Python comes with built-in Access Control List (ACL) abilities. Here are some of its key variables:
- acl_hierarchic - used for hierarchical ACLs.
- acl_rights_after - ACL processed after the on-page/default ACL.
- acl_rights_before - ACL processed before the on-page/default ACL.
- acl_rights_default - ACL used in case there is no ACL specified on the page.
- acl_rights_valid - valid tokens for right sides of ACL entries.
One of the best ways to achieve this is to integrate with AD (Active Directory) or other LDAP services. However, the user controls need to prevent super-users such as system admins from accessing ePHI. To accomplish this, disabling the root user account is an essential step. All pre-approved users must access the application via an identifiable login.
Access and authorization controls usually go hand in hand with user authorization with the key difference being that the application controls are defined to limit access to flagged confidential data. Code generally runs to prevent data exports in the form of copy/paste or exporting to PowerShell or Excel files.
Consider exploring the os.chmod and tempfile.mkstemp() modules for your access controls in Python.
Here are the key rights that you can use within Python:
- read - users can read a page as well as download its attachments.
- write - users can edit a page as well as upload attachments.
- delete - users can delete a page as well as its attachments.
- revert - users can “revert” a page back to an older revision.
- admin - users can change the “#acl” line on a page to introduce granular access controls
- add/or revoke “admin” privileges from others
Employing permission-based authority will make sure ‘view and edit controls’ are approved only for trusted personnel. Unauthorized user access or unauthorized changes in ePHI will result in a HIPAA security breach. In the latter case, you need to employ strict HTTP request method controls to restrict an API attempting to DELETE information.
These restrictions can be set for patient data, thus allowing only specific pre-approved doctors to view their patient data. Whitelisting an IP range and/or specific geolocations can further restrict access to the application; for example, only specific users with a specific IP address are granted access to the Python app, while all other IP addresses are blocked by default.
Out of all the geolocation Python modules, ip2geotools is one of the best tools that can pinpoint the exact location of an access request.
In every application, database handling plays a key role as it must be securely stored for future use. When processing PHI, you must make sure the application database is encrypted. Encrypt sensitive information in the database with the help of tools such as Tink, an exceptional cross-platform, multi-language, and open-source library that offers highly secure, easy-to-use cryptographic APIs that are very difficult to exploit.
Another key point is to link confidential data with a UID instead of a username. This will prevent the data from being traced back to a single user by their last or first name. In case of data exploitation, this security measure will prevent the hackers from viewing the data in plain text. Such encrypted data requires a key to decrypt and view.
Disaster recovery is another important HIPAA compliance standard that healthcare applications must fulfill. Many Python functions offer easy ways to build highly available applications, for example, the AMPS module HAClient class.
It provides various protections against the server, network, and client outages, including:
- Recovery from temporary disconnections between server and client
- Failover from one server to another when a server is unavailable
Python features multiple modules that are capable of automatically handling the failover and reconnection processes. These modules are ideal for mission-critical workflows, as they make sure no significant messages are duplicated or lost during the failover process.
Data backup is a vital HIPAA security requirement and must be employed when building healthcare applications with Python. Applications must have a built-in backup and data recovery functionality which should also execute offline backups of application data. To make sure PHI data is not misused during the backup process, organizations must execute consistent data checks.
Any changes to the application data will trigger an automated alert to the authorized personnel that will look further into the matter. You must also restrict data export from databases at the application layer. Best practices recommend the use of HIPAA-compliant backup software with agents that will back up in-use MySQL and SQL databases.
Apart from these functions, Automatic Logout also is one of the core design requirements when building Python healthcare applications. This ensures there is no accidental unauthorized access to the ePHI.
Atlantic.Net is one of the best cloud platforms on which to build HIPAA-compliant Python applications, as it has sound certifications like HIPAA, HITECH, SOC 2, and SOC 3. All of this is offered along with round-the-clock technical support, consistent monitoring, security checks, and top-notch data center infrastructure.
On the Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform, you can get a Python client-server up and running in no time. The platform features one-click Ubuntu application servers with Python3 configured as part of their automated deployment.
HIPAA compliance plays an important role in securing information for both healthcare institutions and patients. While developing an application, it is essential to ensure that HIPAA requirements are met. Failure to meet compliance can lead to serious negative consequences for the party held to be misusing the information.
#1: Communication through chat and messages
A seamless chat feature in health apps enables easy communication between patients and doctors. The feature helps patients get instant medical advice and receive medical assistance.
#2: Scheduling appointments
Using Healthcare apps, patients can book appointments with their preferred doctor. This feature displays the doctor’s calendar and the available slots. Patients can choose a time slot of their choice.
3#: Reminders
Healthcare apps with reminder features ensure that patients get timely updates about their next scheduled appointment. This feature can also be used to notify the patients in case the appointment is rescheduled, or the doctor is not available.
#1: Store Patient Information
Storing, processing, and transferring patient information is possible with apps built in the Atlantic.Net Cloud. Healthcare apps that support graphics, charts, images, PDFs, and more enable healthcare centers to effortlessly share patient information when needed.
#2: Enables Communication with Patients
With the help of a built-in chat feature, healthcare apps allow communication with patients. Important messages like availability of doctors, confirmation of the appointment, and prescription information are conveyed through an app.
If you are thinking of launching a healthcare app, compliance with HIPAA should be the first thing on your mind. The first step toward building a healthcare app is to find a platform that is HIPAA- compliant.
Healthcare institutions must ensure that the platforms they intend to use can function as per the rules laid down by HIPAA laws. This means they should meet the HIPAA Security Rule with regards to the storage and transmission of ePHI, must have a HIPAA compliance and risk assessment policy, and the platform provider should be willing to enter into a HIPAA business associate agreement.
Selecting a platform requires thorough research about the vendor. Healthcare institutions must not solely rely on the claims of the vendors. The institution must go a step further and conduct a check to verify that the vendor fulfills HIPAA requirements.
The vendor that you choose must be willing to enter into a BAA. If the vendor agrees to sign the agreement, then it is a good indicator of their HIPAA compliance.
A BAA outlines all the elements regarding the disclosure or use of ePHI (electronic Protected Health Information). Through this agreement, the security standards expected from the service provider can be made clear.
A BAA must specify the following information.
- The conditions under which a business associate can disclose Protected Health Information.
- The security measures implemented to safeguard PHI.
- Subcontractors are subject to the same BAA.
- How the business associate shall destroy or return the data as specified by the covered entity if the contract is terminated.
- The covered entity has a right to terminate the contract if the business associate violates any terms.
To ensure the protection of ePHI, the hosting provider should deploy safeguards according to the HIPAA security rules. To fulfill this requirement, the cloud host must provide administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that protect the data from unauthorized access.
Some of the standard security practices include:
- Hardware and software firewalls.
- Data monitoring.
- Data encryption (256-Bit).
- Unique user identification.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) system.
The platform that you choose for your application must have auditing capabilities to assess and document the processing, transmission, usage, storage, and disposal of ePHI. Such self-audits must take place periodically to ensure that the data is safe.
One of the most important factors of HIPAA-compliant hosting is support. While looking for a HIPAA-compliant host for your app, select the one that offers 24/7/365 support. Having support at all times is crucial as it can help you in times of distress, when access permission needs to be edited, or if any issue crops unexpectedly. Since the online portal is a carrier of important health-related data, it needs constant monitoring and support to keep things running smoothly.
Under the service level agreement, the features and services offered by the cloud provider are enumerated. The agreement specifies aspects like uptime, response time, disaster recovery, and so on.
While the BAA covers aspects like security and safeguarding of information, the service level agreement will take care of aspects related to the infrastructure. Going through the SLA agreement will inform you of the capabilities of the vendor in terms of hosting sensitive information like ePHI.
Per the HIPAA regulations, there are no restrictions on the geographic location of the data centers. However, each country has a different set of laws relating to privacy and security. Thus, when you are searching for vendors look for options within your own country, as this will save you from data governance concerns.
Robust security practices and infrastructure are a must if you want a HIPAA-compliant and efficient platform for your application. To keep PHI safe and secure, it is essential to have internal and external protection.
Make sure your service provider is well-versed in HIPAA rules and regulations and has in-depth knowledge about the security requirements.
The Atlantic.Net Cloud can provide you with an effective HIPAA-compliant platform for your application and keep you ahead in the healthcare sector with intelligent and up-to-date solutions.
HIPAA comes with a set of compliance requirements that businesses in the healthcare sector must follow. The primary concern is the healthcare organizations’ Disaster Recovery (DR) capabilities. DR is one of the core requirements of HIPAA and something you need a contingency plan to implement.
Disasters are inevitable in almost all industries. Data breaches, data loss, and damage to physical servers are some typical disaster scenarios. All these events can put healthcare organizations’ crucial data at risk of inaccessibility. To ensure electronic health records are available all the time, you need to have disaster recovery in place.
Another reason to adopt disaster recovery is to protect against financial liabilities in the form of fines and penalties. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) imposes hefty fines for not complying with any of the core requirements, including disaster recovery.
A HIPAA contingency plan is a great tool to deal with disaster recovery. HHS has clarified certain measures for organizations to follow as a foundation for DR. These are detailed in the Administrative Safeguards section as administrative actions, policies, and procedures to protect electronic PHI.
Along with the Administrative Safeguards measures, you must create detailed plans for disaster recovery. Following are some of the plans that must be developed.
Data Backup Plan
At a bare minimum, you should have backups in place for all ePHI in a HIPAA-compliant backup solution like the Atlantic.Net Cloud. Identify the backup frequency that suits your organization's needs. It can be hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly. Along with that, enforce security safeguards like encryption at rest for the backup data. It's also required to define controls over who can access the backup data.
You're going to spend a significant time devising a disaster recovery plan. It should cover how your organization and the IT team will respond to any disaster scenario.
You need to define what a disaster scenario might look like. A disaster scenario is any situation that would severely interrupt access to ePHI data. This can be either a technical or human fault. Decide the circumstances under which you would declare a disaster has taken place within your organization. An outage at the data center is a good place to start.
In the DR plan, you'd also have to define how to invoke disaster recovery and how the communication will flow. For example, a typical response in a disaster scenario to invoke recovery is to contact the IT service provider and provide the security key (which is pre-agreed) to initiate the recovery process. You'd also have to define who needs to be contacted during the disaster.
Make this plan as thorough and detailed as possible.
Another essential plan to create is the Emergency Operations Mode plan. It should detail how your organization will function during the disaster period. Would you halt the operation altogether or only certain parts of it? Are you going to switch to a secondary data source? If the second case is true, make sure to prioritize HIPAA-compliant servers and systems.
You should also communicate this plan to all the employees and team members to prevent panic and promote preparation for when a disaster strikes.
When planning for disaster events and responses, you should include the following steps:
- Map out the roles and responsibilities of each staff member. Create documentation that details the policies, processes, and guidelines for the employees.
- Ensure the necessary documents are always available to employees for reference purposes.
- Make your systems and servers private and integrated to cope with disaster situations.
- Prioritize systems according to importance during the restoration process.
- Develop testing procedures that should include training programs and drills. This is to help ensure you have the best disaster recovery process in place and that it works when necessary.
Every organization handling PHI should take appropriate measures to comply with HIPAA's Disaster Recovery requirements. Tools and platforms like the Atlantic.Net Cloud help organizations stay in compliance with minimal effort.
HIPAA requires every application and every piece of software that handles patient data to be compliant with its requirements. Your website isn't an exception to these requirements. Many healthcare organizations and companies handling ePHI build their websites on WordPress. While it is the largest open-source platform to build a professional website, WordPress isn't natively HIPAA-compliant. It requires some effort to achieve compliance with WordPress.
Platforms like Atlantic.Net Cloud are a great way to ensure your website stays in compliance with HIPAA.
In this article, learn what it takes to make your WordPress website complaint.
When setting up a HIPAA-compliant website, you must consider the technologies used behind the scenes. For a typical WordPress website for a smaller healthcare organization, the requirements will look something like this:
- A cloud server with at least 2.4 GB of storage space
- Server management tools
- Managed firewall
- VPN client that can serve at least 10 VPN users
- Managed intrusion detection and prevention system
- Continuous data protection (CDP) every 30 days
- The monthly data transfer capacity of 10 TB or more
- Managed anti-malware application
- Managed network security system
- A managed system security solution
The requirements change based on the unique IT requirements of the organization. Since HIPAA doesn't specify the exact compliance requirements for websites a cookie-cutter solution found on the Internet might be insufficient. Each website demands customization and consulting to find the appropriate technological requirements.
Below are some considerations that your hosting partner should provide when building HIPAA-compliant websites with WordPress.
A Business Associate Agreement or BAA is a must when dealing with a third-party handling electronic health data on your behalf. The agreement must be created per the HIPAA Final Omnibus Rule, which was mandated by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
The Privacy Rule requires that organizations and other covered entities like data clearinghouses must confirm and validate that the partners they share data with will safeguard health records.
It's recommended that you develop the BAA along with the SLA. An SLA or Service Level Agreement is a list of business expectations and technical requirements like uptime guarantee and storage space. Both will help you meet HIPAA requirements.
Your WordPress website will be exposed to the outside world. Anyone with an Internet connection will be able to access it. As a healthcare organization, you must protect your website from malware and cybercriminal activity. For this, an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) is a must.
An IPS are also known as an IDPS or Intrusion Detection Prevention System. The main role of an IPS is to detect any data breach attempts and act on them. Anything that looks suspicious, like continuous login attempts, must be blocked immediately. IPS is designed for such purposes.
Protecting your systems and having them available all the time is the foremost requirement of HIPAA. After implementing an Intrusion Detection System, you should work towards configuring and managing it.
Just like your IPS, Managed Firewall systems are important. They offer a layer of security to your WordPress website and serve as a secure perimeter defense.
Firewalls allow you to monitor logs 24/7 and oversee the entire operation. Many organizations fail to achieve this internally due to a lack of resources. This leaves their website vulnerable to attacks and often leads to data breaches, which attract thousands of dollars of fines from the HHS.
Managed service providers can carry out routine health checks of the machines and equipment you use. Then, they log the information to a centralized cloud (like the Atlantic.Net Cloud) for further monitoring.
HIPAA requires you to have a backup for everything you use to handle ePHI so that in case there's a disaster, you can ensure data availability -- a prime objective of HIPAA.
A backup is important for maintaining both availability and security. If you are the victim of a ransomware attack, a solid backup solution will give you the ability to recover services before reporting the breach to the HHS.
When creating a backup, you need to focus on the mechanism. Invest in a storage technology that automatically detects alterations between data systems in real-time. The system should create data restore points and log any changes made to the current data. It should also have the capability to recover from any disastrous incident.
Technically, HIPAA doesn't mandate the use of encryption technology for handling ePHI. It's only mentioned within the guidelines as an "addressable" measure.
However, it's highly recommended to make your website encrypted end-to-end for communication and data exchange. This would further secure the environment and prevent data breaches. For a WordPress setup, you should implement encryption.
Making your WordPress website HIPAA complaint is easier said than done. The following tips will make the task less challenging.
- Perform a risk analysis before designing the website.
- Always work with a hosting provider that's HIPAA compliant. They should have credentials to verify that they comply with HIPAA guidelines.
- If you're using plugins, make sure they're trustworthy and, if possible, that they comply with HIPAA guidelines.
- Always update the WordPress version and ensure the plugins stay up to date.
- Use security plugins on your WordPress website.
- It's recommended that you do not store ePHI on a WordPress website. Use a secure database instead.
- If gathering ePHI information via web forms, ensure they’re encrypted.
- Perform security scans regularly to check for vulnerabilities.
Due to the changing nature of digital and Internet technologies, it's important to be agile in your approach. Adopt changes when required to keep your WordPress website in compliance with HIPAA guidelines.
Atlantic.Net offers a one-click WordPress installation that will set you well on your way to a HIPAA-Compliant WordPress Website – get started today!
Drupal is another open-source content management system (CMS) you can use to build your website. As with WordPress and other website platforms, you need to ensure Drupal is compliant with HIPAA - easier said than done, but necessary to avoid penalties for non-compliance. Achieving HIPAA compliance on a Drupal website is usually like the process you might take with a WordPress website, but depending on how complex your operations are, it might differ significantly.
You need a hosting infrastructure to store the Drupal files. This infrastructure will deliver the website files to the computer that is requesting them. To stay in compliance with HIPAA and meet its three major rules (Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification), you need the infrastructure to be HIPAA-compliant.
Not all hosting providers or platforms are HIPAA-compliant. Only a select few like the Atlantic.Net Cloud meet the requirements by design.
The hosting providers that do not comply with HIPAA must offer a disclaimer stating that they aren't compliant with HIPAA and that it's the website owner's responsibility to ensure compliance.
That said, Drupal is a highly secure platform that makes it ideal for handling ePHI. Drupal offers superior database encryption mechanisms and security layers. Just like WordPress, Drupal is driven by themes and modules which enhance the user experience and add functionality. All of these tend to be secure and easily integrated.
Another reason why Drupal is preferred is because of its mobile-first approach, making it easily usable by medical professionals and other stakeholders who need to access the information from a mobile device.
To make your Drupal website HIPAA-compliant, you need to emphasize interoperability. Drupal allows organizations to extend their website as a CRM, intranet, or content distribution network.
HIPAA requires a proper and uninterrupted flow of information for compliance. Costly single-vendor solutions like proprietary EMR systems are not generally designed to integrate with other systems, making it difficult to exchange information between your website and EMR.
However, Drupal is a great choice when it comes to interoperability. You can move data and files across various EMR systems using a single portal. This is achieved through protocols like REST API, JSON feeds, and XML.
Because it is secure and fast, a RESTful API is often preferred when interconnecting EMR systems with Drupal.
However, some work remains with website owners even when using a RESTful API. You need to ensure compatibility and each system must be configured to be compatible with the others to ensure data flows seamlessly.
HIPAA-Compliance requires that you invest in SSL certificates to secure external connections to your site. Additionally, your Drupal website will be exposed to the outside world for anyone to view and access, so take necessary measures to secure the website from cyber-attacks.
If you're using your Drupal website to connect sensitive PHI data, you must ensure the process is secure. This includes end-to-end encryption and hashing.
You should also have similar measures in place if you're exchanging data with other vendors.
It is important to define roles and responsibilities for each user accessing the site. This can be configured directly in Drupal to help prevent unauthorized access.
A well-defined process includes assigning each user a specific ID, then tracking their behavior.
Some website owners overlook the importance of backup and data recovery. That’s a huge mistake if you're making your Drupal website HIPAA-compliant.
You should have continuous backup systems to create copies of every file and document you save. When there's a change to these files, your backup copies should reflect the same changes. You can use additional Drupal plugins if required for creating backups.
You must monitor and record every website access request that has been attempted on the website. These records are required to be retained to pass HIPAA audits.
Finally, you need to establish a Business Associate Agreement with your Drupal hosting provider. A BAA holds your hosting provider accountable to HIPAA standards. Therefore, ensure you invest the proper time and effort in creating this document.
Drupal’s flexibility opens a world of possibilities for a healthcare organization. By partnering with a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider like Atlantic.Net, you can make your Drupal website compliant with HIPAA and offer enhanced services to your patients.
If you're using WordPress, you’re likely familiar with cPanel. It is a GUI-based control panel for your web hosting that lets you manage domains, websites, and other aspects of the system. If your healthcare organization is reliant on cPanel, you must ensure your cPanel setup is compliant with HIPAA.
By default, cPanel is not HIPAA compliant and will require configuration to help you avoid the hefty penalties that come with non-compliance.
HIPAA compliance for cPanel depends not only on cPanel itself but also on the hosting provider. cPanel is just a tool that'll be sitting on your server (along with other tools). You need to ensure that the hosting is in line with HIPAA requirements. Therefore, you must first ensure that you're dealing with a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider like Atlantic.Net.
To check for compliance, you should directly inquire about it with the hosting provider. Send an email with your query to the hosting provider’s sales or support team. If their hosting solution meets HIPAA requirements, they will show you the credentials to prove it.
To be HIPAA-compliant, the hosting provider should have the following:
- Managed firewall
- Intrusion detection and prevention systems
- VPN, backup, and storage
- Anti-malware software
- Vulnerability scan software
- Log management system
- High availability and high-speed network
- Offsite backups
- BAA (Business Associate Agreement)
- Multi-factor authentication
- Integrated monitoring of premises
All these things help the hosting provider meet HIPAA's three main requirements, which are:
- Privacy Rule - Rules that restrict the use and sharing of PHI/ePHI.
- Security Rule - Rules stipulating the protection of PHI/ePHI.
- Breach Notification Rule - Rules governing how to handle data breaches.
If a hosting provider is not HIPAA-compliant, they should put out a disclaimer stating that they're not in compliance with HIPAA and that HIPAA compliance is the sole responsibility of the website owner.
In most cases, it's the responsibility of both the hosting provider and website owner to ensure total HIPAA compliance. Therefore, to make cPanel compliant with HIPAA regulations, you need to adopt a shared responsibility model.
Here's a brief overview of how to share the responsibility:
- The hosting service provider should be responsible for the infrastructure and environment.
- The website owner should take responsibility for managing everything except the infrastructure and environment.
The list of responsibilities for a website owner is extensive. Some of the areas to focus on are mentioned in the subsequent sections.
cPanel utilizes Apache as a web server, so unless you've made changes, you're likely using the Apache server for your cPanel. To protect cPanel, you must safeguard Apache.
Make sure you're regularly updating the server and only using the latest version of the software Change the pre-formatted configurations to increase the DDOS protection level to prevent your website from suffering downtime and affecting data availability.
To nullify a hacker's attempt to run arbitrary code, set strict chown, chmod, and chgrp permissions. Along with that, implement dynamic content security.
We also recommend you research further changes that can improve the security of your Apache server. As new protective techniques emerge, they should be implemented on your website.
Along with the Apache server, cPanel also uses a MySQL database. Therefore, to secure cPanel, you must take proper measures to secure your database.
Start by encrypting data at rest. This prevents hackers from accessing your data while it's stored in the database.
Then, enable SELinux for compulsory access controls. This protects the MySQL daemon. Install MySQL plugins to authenticate and validate users. The plugins would also restrict access to valid users and approved IP addresses.
One recommended plugin to use is the MySQL Enterprise Audit plugin, which enables policy-based monitoring and logging of connections.
Another critical component to secure is PHP. Most of the things you use on WordPress are built using PHP (as is the WordPress system itself). In the case of cPanel, PHP will run either as an Apache-based plugin or a CGI binary.
While there are no HIPAA requirements specifically for PHP, there are a few things you need to take care of. One of them is ensuring you're using the latest PHP version. Additionally, you must use PHP to hash and verify the passwords that users have entered. You can use BCrypt for this purpose.
You should also use PHP for protecting cross-site scripting and request forgery.
When working with a hosting provider, a BAA is of real importance. It details what is expected of each party to stay in compliance with HIPAA guidelines. Therefore, invest proper time in preparing, discussing, and understanding the terms mentioned in it. With these measures, you can make cPanel HIPAA compliant.
HIPAA mandates security standards across the healthcare industry to protect PHI, both technical security and workflow standards. Of course, each organization is built differently with unique business workflows and requirements. Therefore, when it comes to HIPAA, there’s no straightforward solution for compliance, but NextCloud offers some impressive features to healthcare facilities.
While communication and document collaboration are often among the various tools that CSPs (Cloud Service Providers) offer, most of these tools do not meet HIPAA compliance regulations. Healthcare professionals need to look for a robust and secure HIPAA-compliant file-sharing solution.
NextCloud has an easy-to-use interface that makes it easier for healthcare professionals to access patient information whenever needed, regardless of their geolocation. NextCloud also offers great reliability, robust security, and privacy at a reasonable cost.
Patient privacy and security are the utmost priority of healthcare organizations. NextCloud complies with the file-sharing regulations of most healthcare organizations. It meets HIPAA compliance standards with exceptional data encryption features, both at rest and in transit. Additional features of NextCloud include integration with your existing network shares, in-depth activity logs, reporting, robust admin tools, and data breach protection.
A major benefit of switching to a cloud solution is its ability to provide large volumes of storage on-demand. With the Atlantic.Net cloud platform, you can leverage cloud storage that meets the critical standards of HIPAA compliance.
One of the key HIPAA-compliance security rules is that healthcare organizations with PHI must enforce optimal cybersecurity measures to safeguard patient information. Cloud storage falls under this rule as well.
Below, we will explore how you can make your NextCloud File Share Server HIPAA-compliant on a robust cloud platform like Atlantic.Net.
Hospitals often need to run websites that meet HIPAA compliance standards, especially for file sharing and storage. Organizations may have multiple hospitals that need to upload medical records, reports, and other health-related information on a secure site.
The Atlantic.Net Cloud allows you to create a secure HIPAA-compliant website for file sharing and storage purposes with advanced access control features. Advanced security features include access and authorization measures such as login via VPN, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and role-based access control. It isolates hospitals from accessing or viewing the data of other cloud tenants. The Atlantic.Net Cloud will help you configure and manage a HIPAA-compliant NextCloud file sharing solution. While the Atlantic.Net Cloud maintains the security and infrastructure of the solution, under the hood, the software platform will be powered by NextCloud.
Many SaaS solutions fail to meet privacy and security regulations, leading to data leakage. The NextCloud platform is designed with a security-first mindset which offers the user full control over access policies and the location of data. It offers managed public cloud solutions as well as private cloud solutions by reliable providers.
With large amounts of medical information and patient data flowing in, healthcare institutions need an intuitive solution that provides easy access to patient data in minutes. Readily available patient information can save lives. But often, privacy and security prove to be major concerns when it comes to document collaboration and storage solutions. NextCloud is designed with robust security functionalities within a simple interface that prioritizes ease of access.
NextCloud eliminates complexities making it easier to share and access patient data.
Data must be accessible anytime and anywhere. NextCloud allows users to access patient data via mobile devices, tablets, desktops, and laptops. Nurses and doctors can comment on and tag files for quick communication and collaboration, find deleted files in the trash and even roll back files to their previous versions. Furthermore, NextCloud offers real-time collaborative editing with chat and a secure audio/video calls feature to boost productivity.
File Access Control is one of the key functionalities of NextCloud that helps organizations meet HIPAA Compliance. With FAC, organizations can configure policies and legal guidelines directly into processes. Admins can create strict rules that only allow authorized personnel to view, upload, or download files.
NextCloud also encrypts ePHI, both in transit and at rest. You can configure the solution to use SSL/TLS encryption during data transfer. Atlantic.Net will provide VPN connections to make sure data is encrypted before transmission to protect it from breaches and attacks.
For data at rest, Atlantic.Net encrypts the data using the AES-256 standard, a military-grade cryptographic algorithm. NextCloud seamlessly integrates with your existing systems and also pairs with most of the popular healthcare cloud offerings.
NextCloud helps you monitor and log patient information securely, with or without additional tools such as Nagios, Splunk, or OpenNMS. This is what makes it a secure and highly reliable document collaboration and communication solution.
Partnering with Atlantic.Net Cloud will allow you to create a HIPAA-compliant NextCloud File Share Server with the highest level of security. The technical, physical, and administrative functionalities built into Atlantic.Net make it a perfect platform for a HIPAA-compliant NextCloud solution.
Here are some of the key benefits you can reap through the NextCloud platform:
- Advanced access control features
- Secure data backups
- Automatic password expirations
- Automated virus scans
- Multi-factor authentication and email verification
- Logging of all user actions for audits
- Full end-to-end encryption of data-in-transit and at-rest
- Account lockout after multiple failed log-in attempts
Atlantic.Net’s HIPAA-compliant cloud platform is a security-centric infrastructure, including the data centers that host it. These locations are highly secure with 24/7 monitoring and security personnel present round-the-clock. Apart from this, the platform employs door access controls, CCTV, and close monitoring and auditing of access to the premises.
As for the platform itself, Atlantic.Net meets the highest security standards, including managed firewalls, data encryption, network segregation, and more to meet and exceed all HIPAA security needs.
While NextCloud is a self-hosting platform, there are two main concerns with self-hosting.
First, it will be difficult to handle insider threats, as hackers often target employees and take advantage of human errors in organizational systems. These errors may take place due to mistakes or inadequate expertise. Employees may unintentionally forget to follow proper authentication or mitigation steps when managing ePHI. Choosing to outsource to Atlantic.Net will always be a smarter and safer choice.
The second concern is cybersecurity maintenance. Organizations may not have the required expertise to handle ongoing or future cybersecurity issues, especially considering the complexity of IT infrastructure handling large amounts of medical data.
The Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform offers 1-click NextCloud applications that install within seconds with no need for additional configuration. Simply follow the steps and spin up the NextCloud server and connect it to your NextCloud website. The security engineers at Atlantic.Net will then create a highly reliable and secure HIPAA-compliant environment for you.
Healthcare organizations are always on the radar of hackers because of the sensitive data that these organizations store and handle. HIPAA mandates that companies have strong security measures in place to protect critical patient information. To achieve this requirement, encryption is the ideal solution (though not the only recommended security measure). In this section, we’ll explore the importance of encryption in the healthcare sector and what you must do to adopt company-wide encryption.
Encryption is a way of encoding data so that it is protected during data exchange. Readable text is converted into encoded text during encryption.
A set of mathematical values called an encryption key is used to both securely encrypt and decrypt the data. The mathematical values are available to both the sender and receiver, but not to anyone else. Even if a hacker gets access to the data, they won't be able to decrypt it.
Businesses need to encrypt both in-transit data (data transferred from one location to another) and at-rest data (data stored digitally on a server).
There are various encryption methods for this purpose, like AES or RSA. AES 256-bit encryption is the current industry standard.
Technically, HIPAA doesn't require companies handling ePHI to use encryption, but the Health and Human Services' Security Rule does state that organizations should implement encryption if they find it helpful in safeguarding ePHI. If not, the organization should implement an alternative to encryption and document how and why it did so. You'd then have to show this documentation to the Office for Civil Rights during audits.
When handling patient data, you must choose between two options: encrypt it or burn it. Given the nature of healthcare organizations, it's almost always a necessity to implement encryption even if HIPAA doesn't mandate it.
Besides that, there are a few important reasons for data encryption by healthcare organizations. We cover some of them in the following sections.
Healthcare is one of the most malware-targeted industries. The industry faces at least one breach every day.
HIPAA was put in place to protect personal health information and sensitive data, but bad actors frequently target this information for ransom or sell it on the black market.
HIPAA makes it the company's responsibility to ensure ePHI data protection. Otherwise, they are bound to attract fines, penalties, or, worse, license cancellation.
The problem with most companies is they're ill-equipped to deal with these attacks. As part of a comprehensive cybersecurity solution, you should implement encryption.
Although HIPAA doesn't mandate encryption, it is strict when it comes to maintaining proper security. This is the purpose of the HIPAA Security Rule. The rule was enacted to help organizations plan for data security.
There are several categories of safeguards within the Security Rule, which are:
- Administrative - These rules deal with assigning security responsibilities to individuals at your organization.
- Physical - These rules are meant for electronic systems.
- Technical - These are rules for automated processes, including authentication control and encrypting data.
Encryption will primarily help you on the technical front, but when used correctly, it's going to complement other categories as well. For example, you can protect connections between a cloud server and sensors using encryption.
Traditionally, there has been a distance barrier between the doctor and the patient in terms of data and information. There were (and still are) isolated communities that are strict when it comes to sharing data, mainly due to inadequate digital infrastructure and the fear of attracting HHS's penalties for data leaks.
But with the advent and advancement of technologies like cloud computing, IoT, and fitness tracking, the healthcare landscape is getting more connected.
This means more organizations need to share their data with others to deliver services more efficiently, which, of course, results in more data in transit.
This growing data exchange must be protected. That’s why data encryption is so important.
One place to get started with encryption is by using an SSL or Secured Socket Layer. It serves as a tunnel in which data is encrypted in transit, protecting your files and data when exchanged between devices or organizations. SSL also prevents hackers from intercepting data sent over the connection.
As the healthcare industry evolves, a growing number of companies and devices are connected. Data encryption is the right approach to keep the landscape safe and secure.
Data encryption offers financial benefits as well. Foremost among these are the penalties that can range up to hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars that organizations must pay when they fail to protect ePHI. These hefty fines can put a significant dent in your earnings and can put a company out of business.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another excellent security mechanism to protect sensitive electronic healthcare information. In concert with other security techniques, it can enable a holistic cloud infrastructure to handle ePHI data. With data breaches and attacks routinely happening in the healthcare industry, you must look for ways to implement multi-factor authentication for your business. In this section, learn about MFA’s importance to healthcare organizations and other industries handling ePHI.
Multi-factor authentication or MFA is an authentication mechanism that verifies user identity using multiple factors. Users are granted access to the resources, application, or data only if they pass all of the factors. This is a better authentication mechanism than single-factor authentication, which verifies the users only using one factor, such as an ID and password combination. MFA is a core component of Identity and Access Management (IAM). Many top-class cloud platforms like Atlantic.Net Cloud have IAM tools to enhance the security of your cloud infrastructure.
MFA is a common security measure. For example, when we log into Gmail from a new browser, Gmail requires us to verify our identity with additional information. It may send a one-time password or push notification to the registered phone number or ask a personal question that must be answered correctly.
With MFA, in addition to providing the login credentials (username and password), we perform another verification step to get access to our emails. This process makes the Gmail infrastructure more secure. It also allows Gmail to limit data breaches, which are common in personal data-intensive industries.
There's no limit as to how many authentication factors a company can have, but it's good practice to limit them to the minimum required to provide adequate security and avoid frustrating customers.
HIPAA requires healthcare organizations to be accountable for their data handling practices. MFA is an excellent way to safeguard health information. But just like other good security mechanisms, MFA is not mandatory. It's up to the organization to decide whether they should implement multi-factor authentication.
Even if HIPAA doesn't mandate MFA, it recommends the authentication mechanism. From a compliance perspective, HIPAA calls MFA the best way to comply with its password requirements.
MFA is already in place in many healthcare organizations. In other similarly security-focused industries, an MFA approach is also employed. Examples can be seen in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard or Electronic Prescription for Controlled Substance Rules of the Drug Enforcement Administration which mandate the use of two-factor authentication (2FA).
Electronic Prescription for Controlled Substance Rules is a set of guidelines for prescribing controlled substances. It is parallel to the HIPAA Security Rule’s technological safeguards for the protection of patient data. 2FA is also recommended by the HHS. The Office of Civil Rights advises organizations to implement two-factor authentication to minimize the risk of password theft. In conjunction with other security mechanisms like creating a unique username and ID for each user, companies will be able to curb unauthorized access.
Certain studies like those performed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) suggest that MFA is being underutilized in the healthcare sector.
Because of its importance and benefits, there is little reason for the sector to avoid MFA. In the subsequent sections, learn how multi-factor authentication is essential to healthcare.
The main reason to employ MFA is for security. By implementing multi-factor authentication, you can improve your data infrastructure and address certain security vulnerabilities.
When the email accounts of company employees are compromised, it often leads to data breaches. Phishing attacks are a common way hackers get email account credentials.
After the hackers get access to the email accounts, they then access the sensitive healthcare data that only the employees are authorized to access. They can then leak that information on the dark web or ransom it.
Multi-factor authentication provides further protection to email accounts. Even if a hacker obtains login credentials, they need to provide further authentication to access resources. At this stage, the hacking attempt will fail. Once the email server is aware that there's a data breach attempt, it can lock the email account and notify admins.
Legacy protocols are those security measures that come in-built with an application or device. Most of them are either outdated or vulnerable to cyberattacks. They can expose your entire network.
One way to fix legacy protocols is to install software patches. These update the protocols to modern ones. Another way is to use MFA for added protection when accessing legacy devices or applications.
Password reuse is a poor security practice that, unfortunately, many employees and regular users perform regularly. They tend to use the same or similar set of username and password combinations for every app they use.
If an attacker gets access to the credentials, he's likely to compromise other apps as well. You can mitigate this risk by putting MFA in place. Users would then have to verify additional information which only they possess.
You should insist on a no-reuse policy across the board for best results, especially in apps that your organization does not control.
HIPAA has laid out certain guidelines for companies handling PHI when it comes to passwords. Under the section Security Awareness and Training, HIPAA states that the covered entities should have policies and procedures that direct employees on how to create, store, change, and delete passwords.
The HIPAA Security Rule considers passwords as an "addressable" requirement. That doesn't mean that passwords are optional and can be ignored. Passwords are there to protect the data and prevent unauthorized access.
With multi-factor authentication, you increase that level of security by enhancing the password. This enhancement is separate from the password itself, which makes it even better.
MFA is based on any of these three types of additional information:
- Knowledge (like a PIN, password, or answers to questions)
- Possession (like a badge or smartphone)
- Inherence (biometric or voice recognition)
This makes MFA more effective than SFA (single-factor authentication) in protecting healthcare data.
Ransomware attacks have increased across the healthcare sector. Since the dawn of networking, hackers have made it a practice to demand something in exchange for the return of stolen data or a promise to not expose compromised information to the public.
Both the FBI and the HHS have been recommending ways to deal with these attacks. The proposed solutions include implementing more robust security measures, limiting access controls, and conducting regular risk analyses.
Multi-factor authentication can help you create a more robust security system and limit unauthorized access. Covered entities must implement at least a two-factor authentication system.
Besides making your infrastructure more secure, multi-factor authentication can save you time and money.
First, since MFA improves the security infrastructure, it minimizes the chances of incurring penalties from HHS for data breaches. Companies can be forced to pay millions in fines for not complying with the guidelines.
Another way it saves cost (and time) is by automating the authentication process. You don't have to recruit admins to authenticate every person. MFA software handles it all for you. The process is often frictionless, with no human intervention.
With MFA, you no longer must force your employees to change and remember their passwords every week or month, and you can avoid administrative work and slowdowns in cases where employees forget their passwords.
Multi-factor authentication is now easier to adopt into your practice with HIPAA-compliant services like the Atlantic.Net Cloud. Once up and running, you can prevent most cases of unauthorized access.
Atlantic.Net offers a proprietary, state-of-the-art cloud platform for running your healthcare business operation with a HIPAA-compliant infrastructure configured to handle ePHI. Since all covered entities and their business associates are required to comply with HIPAA, selecting such a cloud platform is a must for healthcare organizations.
As part of its cloud offerings, Atlantic.Net has several security services that help you meet HIPAA requirements. In this section, we’ll review some of the services that you can take advantage of when running your business on Atlantic.Net.
Your cloud is there to use by anyone who wants to. But not everyone should access your cloud, especially hackers and automated tools or bots. To keep them at bay, you need an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), one of the primary security services of Atlantic.Net.
An Intrusion Prevention System is a threat detection and prevention technology that automatically checks network traffic for policy violations and malicious activities based on preconfigured parameters.
For example, if there are multiple failed login attempts from several IP addresses simultaneously, the IPS will detect it and take appropriate measures. Such measures might be temporarily blocking access to the attempted accounts or blocking the IP addresses.
The Atlantic.Net IPS is designed based on insights gained from a continually updated database of malware and cyber hazards. Since the database is updated regularly, you can rest assured that the system can detect the latest exploits and tricks. The IPS offers a customizable security infrastructure for you to manage your data.
Threats are monitored in real-time and once detected, the IPS takes the appropriate action to prevent them.
The IPS from Atlantic.Net also features a Firewall Appliance which is connected to each interface. Thus, it can monitor important metrics, including CPU usage, gateway response rate, and more.
If you need traffic shaping and want to limit simultaneous connections, you can configure the appropriate settings within the Atlantic.Net Intrusion Prevention System.
Healthcare organizations must implement appropriate access control policies and strategies to control traffic to their systems. Access Control Management tools are a great way to handle this problem. The Atlantic.Net Cloud provides various helpful Identity and Access Management solutions.
First, IAM asks that you define the roles and access privileges for each user. The IAM system from Atlantic.Net has functions to aid user repository, role definition and authorization engine, and authentication protocols. The authentication system includes SSO (single sign-on), account provisioning and de-provisioning, password maintenance, and other valuable features.
In the healthcare sector, IAM is used to manage security risks. Companies need to make sure that sensitive ePHI is only accessed by authorized users as required by the HIPAA Security Rule.
The violations for not adhering to the Security Rule and not implementing necessary steps can exceed $60,000 per violation.
IAM becomes a far more robust security solution when coupled with other technologies like intrusion detection systems.
To guard your network against threats, Atlantic.Net cloud has managed firewalls and encrypted VPNs in place. The managed firewall is responsible for denying unwanted access to your network. This service includes log monitoring, health checks of devices in use, control of ingress and egress points of the network, security response, and other important activities.
The Atlantic.Net Cloud correlates the security incidents with that of global threat intelligent systems to improve the accuracy of the firewall. This integrated way of managing threats reduces data breaches and cyberattacks.
Some features of Managed Firewall services are:
- Stateful filtering - The firewall has stateful packet inspection filters that detect and filter out fake URL requests, only allowing legitimate requests to go through. The Atlantic.Net firewall can handle as many as 4,000,000 active connections simultaneously.
- Virtual Private Network - A VPN is included in the firewall for organizations utilizing the Atlantic.Net cloud, allowing for private and secure connections. You have the option of selecting between IPsec or OpenVPN for running your network.
- Reporting and Monitoring - The firewall tracks all the network activity, monitors potential threats, and then stores the information for later analysis. This allows admins to maintain network integrity.
- Global Blacklisting - You can block IP addresses coming from specific geolocations. Blocking access from a particular country is also possible with the firewall.
- Load Balancing - Atlantic.Net offers a load balancer to optimize the speed and increase the efficiency of the cloud system.
By default, you'll get the OpenBSD stateful firewall. It allows you to have granular control over the firewall state. Furthermore, it limits states per host, connections per second, state timeout, and concurrent client connections.
All these functionalities will help you meet the relevant HIPAA guidelines.
Another important security service Atlantic.Net offers to its clientele is the Trend Micro Security Suite. This anti-malware software protects your system from cyberattacks, as well as from files and programs that are potentially dangerous.
The software can help protect your physical, virtual, and HIPAA-compliant cloud servers.
Here are some of the things Trend Micro Security Suite can do:
- Examining traffic for protocol deviation and policy violations.
- Protecting against unpatched vulnerabilities by virtually patching them.
- Decreasing the attack surface area.
- Monitoring system files and applications including directories, registry keys, and values.
- Performing hypervisor integrity monitoring to check for any changes made to the hypervisor. Thus, it extends compliance and security to the hypervisor layer.
- Tagging trusted events that are then replicated across data centers to reduce administrative costs.
- Collecting and analyzing the entire operating system and application log.
- Forwarding the events to the SIEM system for reporting and archiving. SIEM systems are also known as centralized logging servers.
- Assisting in compliance requirements of HIPAA, HITECH, NIST, SSAE, and other compliance frameworks.
All these security services provide comprehensive protection to your data infrastructure that keeps you in compliance. Based on your needs, you can activate additional services available in the Atlantic.Net offerings.
What is HIPAA?
HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is a US federal law established during the Bill Clinton Administration on 21st August 1996. It dictates data security and privacy provisions to secure medical data across the healthcare industry.
In recent years, the law has become more prominent due to multiple data breaches caused by ransomware and cyberattacks on medical institutions.
What is the purpose of HIPAA?
HIPAA, also referred to as Public Law 104-191, is mainly enacted to retain the data integrity of PHI (Protected Health Information) and ensure best practices when handling patients’ medical data. Its second purpose is to eventually reduce healthcare costs by standardizing the electronic transmission of medical information. HIPAA also aims to combat abuse, waste, and fraud in healthcare delivery while enhancing accessibility to long-term healthcare services.
In 2003, the amendments to Privacy Rule and Security Rule were established to govern the management of ePHI (electronically protected health information) between healthcare facilities and business associates.
What medical data is secured under HIPAA?
The HIPAA Privacy Rule safeguards PHI (Protected Health Information) including any personally identifiable medical data that is transmitted or held by a BA (Business Associate) or a CE (Covered Entity). The medical data can be transmitted orally, through hard copy, or in digital form.
PHI consists of the following:
- A patient’s address, name, birthdate, Social Security number, biometric identifiers, and other such PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
- A patient’s past, present, or future mental or physical health condition
- Information about health care provided to a person
- Information regarding the past, present, or future payment for the medical care offered to a patient that denotes their identity
A few examples of PHI include medical records, hospital bills, and lab reports.
The important thing to know is that PHI does not include employment records or data that does not identify an individual, such as blood pressure data, heart rate information, or other such data without the context to identify the patient.
Why is HIPAA-compliant hosting needed?
HIPAA-Compliant Hosting is a type of web hosting solution that aims to meet and exceed the technical, administrative, and physical standards dictated by the HIPAA regulations, including the Privacy Rule and Security Rule amendments of 2003.
Managed Service Providers, relevant third parties, and other covered entities need to comply with these regulations to retain patient data integrity.
Does HIPAA apply to electronic medical records?
Yes, ePHI (electronically protected health information) is bound to comply with HIPAA regulations. As the healthcare industry and its supporting technology transition to digital solutions, HIPAA regulations have also adapted to keep up. When handling ePHI, look for hosting providers that hold HITECH accreditation. HITECH pertains to electronic records and increases the legal liability for non-compliance with greater penalties.
What is a BAA?
In 2003, the Privacy Rule amendment dictated a new administrative regulation stating that all covered entities must sign a BAA (Business Associate Agreement) with the BA (Business Associates) that stores, processes, or manages PHI.
Are there free HIPAA-compliant hosting plans?
HIPAA regulations are quite comprehensive, with detailed safeguards dictated for various health care elements across the medical industry. Therefore, it is challenging for hosting providers to achieve HIPAA-compliant hosting status. Free HIPAA-compliant hosting plans are nearly impossible to offer. However, you might find better discounts and offers when selecting annual hosting plans.
Is HIPAA-compliant hosting costly?
HIPAA-compliant hosting mainly involves the expert management, configuration, and maintenance of systems. The expenses of the hosting provider may vary according to each company’s requirements. Costs can accumulate when securing medical data, executing audits, and meeting regulations consistently. However, HIPAA-compliant hosting plans are worth the expense, as healthcare organizations don’t have to worry about legal liabilities and heavy penalties for non-compliance and data breaches.
How is HIPAA enforced?
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enforces HIPAA safeguards. The controls are built right into the legislation, thus making it compulsory for healthcare organizations to self-report data breaches.
In 2013, the Final Omnibus Rule has enforced further liability regulations upon hosting providers and has obliged OCR (Office for Civil Rights) to effectively enforce the rulings of the Omnibus Rule.
What happens if a healthcare organization fails to meet HIPAA safeguards?
The Breach Notification Rule enacts a legal obligation upon all healthcare organizations to self-report any known data breaches, including failures discovered during annual auditing of medical records.
For HIPAA violations, the penalties are quite steep and are generally defined in four tiers. The fine depends on the severity of the violations and has recently been updated in 2021 to address inflation.
- Tier 1: Minimum fine of $120 per violation, up to $30,113
- Tier 2: Minimum fine of $1,205 per violation, up to $120,452
- Tier 3: Minimum fine of $12,045 per violation, up to $301,130
- Tier 4: Minimum fine of $60,226 per violation up to $1,806,757
Why do you need HIPAA-compliant hosting?
Consult a legal advisor to know whether HIPAA legislation applies to your organization or not. The baseline is that if you hold, process, or manage PHI (Protected Health Information) that either directly identifies or provides enough information to personally identify a patient, then the HIPAA legislation applies to your institution.
On the other hand, if the data is anonymized, then the regulations may vary. It is better to seek legal advice to be sure.
What are the benefits of opting for HIPAA-compliant hosting?
HIPAA-compliant cloud hosting offers strategic benefits that boost the productivity of healthcare professionals. With HIPAA-compliant hosting, you can be sure that a reliable provider such as Atlantic.Net meets and exceeds the technical, administrative, and physical safeguards of HIPAA if healthcare organizations utilize the services appropriately.
What factors should you consider when choosing a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider?
Seek HIPAA-compliant hosting providers with certifications to ensure they have the required expertise and skills to employ best practices in managing a HIPAA-Compliant environment. Look for HITECH and HIPAA certifications along with SOC 2/SOC 3 certifications. Atlantic.Net holds all the certifications required to build a reliable and secure HIPAA-compliant infrastructure for your healthcare facility.
Which features should you look for in HIPAA hosting provider’s services?
Though each organization’s requirements vary, start with features such as MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), a fully managed firewall, an IPS (Intrusion Prevention Service), a server management service with auto-patching, on-site backups, off-site backups, and antivirus security tools.
What is a HITECH Certification?
HITECH and HIPAA are audits conducted by an independent third-party auditor annually to verify and attest to checks, controls, and balances relating to the physical and logical controls and security of the concerned infrastructure.
What is an SSAE 18 Certification?
SSAE 18 certification is an official audit that checks and verifies whether an organization meets all regulations of Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16. It is a standard enacted by the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) via its ASB (Auditing Standards Board).
These standard dictates best practices for healthcare institutions and allows them to report about their compliance control assessed through an audit.
How can you know whether a hosting provider is HIPAA-compliant?
Commonly, managed hosting providers are restricted from falsely advertising themselves as HIPAA-compliant. However, some managed hosting providers may only offer partial services for HIPAA compliance. As we know, HIPAA is a federal law, and violating its safeguards may lead to hefty penalties.
While some vendors advertise themselves as “compliant,” it is the duty of the CE (Covered Entity) to ensure whether the BA (Business Associate) they’re dealing with is truly compliant or not. One of the best ways to know this is to check whether the vendor offers a robust BAA (Business Associate Agreement) to customers and whether they can provide the history of formal audits performed. Some of the vendors may only offer a specific part of their service as HIPAA compliant instead of a fully HIPAA-compliant environment.
Perform an audit of your infrastructure and make sure there are no assumptions or misinterpretations between the vendor and the client.
What are the advantages of outsourcing HIPAA-compliant managed services?
One of the benefits of outsourcing HIPAA-compliant hosting is that you may be able to take advantage of managed services along with the plan. These optional services include server management, backups, an IPS, network security, vulnerability scanning, anti-malware, and more.
Is it safe to store sensitive data in the cloud?
It is safe to store sensitive information in the cloud if the cloud service provider takes all the precautionary measures to technically secure the data and has a solid signed BAA in place. These measures often include data encryption, advanced firewalls, role-based access controls, multi-factor authentication, and other advanced security techniques.
How do you implement HIPAA compliance in cloud computing?
Having a signed BAA in place does not guarantee HIPAA compliance. Covered Entities and their Business Associates must make sure they comply with HIPAA safeguards and employ critical security features such as MFA (multi-factor authentication), activity monitoring, data encryption, and advanced firewalls. Joining hands with a reliable and expert HIPAA-compliant hosting provider like Atlantic.Net can make compliance easier for healthcare organizations.
Launched in 1994, Atlantic.Net is a prominent hosting provider with highly secure data centers spread across various locations including London, Orlando, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Dallas, and Ashburn. Very soon, two more data centers will be established in Singapore and Amsterdam.
Atlantic.Net is a market leader in providing state-of-the-art hosting services. We’re well-known for our exceptional customer service, use of modern technologies, and secure infrastructure. In the hosting industry, we are recognized as an expert hosting provider with numerous national and regional business awards.
- World-class, highly secure data centers
- 100% Uptime SLA (Service-Level Agreement)
- Industry-leading Partnerships and Certifications
- High customer satisfaction
- Expert support team with years of experience
- Numerous regional and national business awards
HIPAA compliance is a growing need for healthcare entities dealing with confidential medical data. It is quite challenging to continually comply with HIPAA safeguards, especially when you have a complex infrastructure with multiple hospital branches and large amounts of medical data flowing in every day.
Violating HIPAA standards can lead to breaches, cyberattacks, hefty penalties, and damage to your brand reputation. That’s why choosing a reliable, secure, and trustworthy HIPAA-compliant hosting provider is essential!
Atlantic.Net offers highly secure, world-class colocation data centers spread across different locations such as Dallas (USA), Orlando (USA), London (UK), Toronto (Canada), San Francisco (USA), Ashburn (USA), and New York (USA).
Healthcare service providers, SaaS providers, or any applicable service providers can build a robust and secure infrastructure with the Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform. And width-intensive businesses can get faster access to data center resources and reliable network performance. These HIPAA-compliant data centers can support various hosting requirements, such as e-commerce, compliance hosting, or even implementing stricter security requirements.
Atlantic.Net provides multiple hosting services covering managed hosting, cloud, and private virtualization as well as dedicated colocation.
Atlantic.Net can customize the hosting solution to meet your business-critical objectives. The highly available infrastructure at Atlantic.Net is SSAE 18, HITECH, and HIPAA-compliant and is housed in highly secure facilities. The data center facilities are all climate-controlled with consistent round-the-clock monitoring and multiple direct connections to the network. This ensures high availability, less downtime, and robust data security.
Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform delivers faster speeds for your business-critical applications and servers to offer maximum flexibility and unmatched performance. The highly available on-demand cloud platform allows customization and scalability features as per your business requirements. We offer public, private, and hybrid services.
When handling HIPAA-governed medical data, it is extremely important to choose a reliable and highly secure host to combat hefty penalties for HIPAA violations. Whether you run a large, resource-hungry site or a healthcare business, complying with HIPAA standards is mandatory for every covered entity that holds, stores, or processes the PHI (Protected Health Information) of patients.
Atlantic.Net provides unmanaged as well as managed HIPAA-Compliant hosting plans, curated to secure your PHI and medical records. It is audited by a third-party firm. The hosting services are SOC 2 and SOC 3 certified and are HITECH and HIPAA-compliant. Data encryption, advanced firewall, MFA (Multi-factor authentication), and multiple security layers meet and exceed HIPAA standards.
Cloud hosting requires higher uptime along with robust security, especially when there is a sudden spike in customer demand.
Healthcare organizations that hold, process, or manage PHI (Protected Health Information) need to ensure they take legal precautionary measures to safeguard patient medical data. This also means when outsourcing the cloud computing solution to cloud hosts, organizations need to check whether they have the best security practices in place or not.
Atlantic.Net offers the following security controls:
- Robust security with SSAE and SOC reports: The AICPA (American Institute of International Certified Professional Accounts) enacted SOC (Service Organization Control) to regulate robust security directives. SOC reports indicate whether the hosting provider meets the security needs to combat data breaches or not. For these reports, the hosting provider needs to meet the regulations elucidated in the SSAE (Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements) No.1. These audits measure the security controls at the data centers as well as the measures that service providers take to secure sensitive data.
- HIPAA Compliance: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a US law that governs the security of medical data of patients. Any covered entity that manages private medical data must be HIPAA-compliant. These standards include DR (Disaster Recovery) and offsite backup to recover patient data quickly, tracking logs of accessibility to identify potential security violations, and strict role-based access controls to medical data. Apart from this, some critical security measures include the use of MFA (multi-factor authentication), data encryption, firewalls, and unique user IDs.
Atlantic.Net offers a maximum uptime guarantee and refunds the money for the lost time if downtime ever occurs. We offer Debian-based, Windows-based, or RedHat-based servers. For our cloud offering, you can even choose FreeBSD.
Atlantic.Net offers RAID-10 in most plans to secure your data in case of an HDD failure.
Atlantic.Net employs IT professionals with years of expertise, forming a support team that combats issues as soon as they occur.
Managing the security, transfer, and storage of data on a cloud or dedicated environment can be time-consuming. Atlantic.Net offers top-quality managed services to help organizations save time, resources, and effort, thereby boosting their productivity. This also further reduces operational costs and promotes better resource utilization.
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