HIPAA is a complicated federal law aimed at protecting the privacy and security of health data. It applies to healthcare organizations and their business associates. It requires a deep understanding of the law to stay compliant. Compliance consultants help organizations meet and maintain legal requirements.
HIPAA Consultants assess, develop, implement, and maintain compliance programs. They ensure the organization's policies, procedures, and practices comply with the rules and regulations. Their duties include risk assessments, making policies, procedures, training, guiding, and continuing assistance following regulations.
Recent Healthcare statistics revealed that healthcare cybersecurity incidents fell by 8% in February 2022 but still faced 46 incidents affecting 2.5 million people. The US healthcare industry loses $7 billion annually due to hacked PHI. Healthcare breaches cost $408 per record.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the role of a compliance consultant and the benefits they bring to organizations seeking to outsource their cybersecurity services.
Background - What is HIPAA?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a federal law that sets national standards for protecting electronic health information. Its objective is to protect patient data. Without it, many people would not feel comfortable sharing their health information with physicians or other healthcare providers.
See Also: All you need to know about HIPAA for CyberSecurity.
Importance of Compliance
Complying with its rules and regulations is a legal obligation and a fundamental step toward protecting individuals' data from potential cyber threats. Healthcare organizations, including protected entities and business partners, must follow its rules to protect PHI's safety, security, and access.
Non-compliance can result in severe penalties and reputational damage.
Why Choose HIPAA Compliance Consulting Support
Compliance consulting support ensures that healthcare organizations and related organizations follow all of the compliance rules and regulations.
These consultants know much about the healthcare business, privacy rules, security standards, and best practices for protecting electronically protected health information (ePHI).
Necessary Qualifications
A qualified consultant possesses essential skills, knowledge, and experience to navigate HIPAA complexities effectively. They generally have an in-depth knowledge of the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules and the relevant industry criteria and best practices.
These consultants are generally Certified HIPAA Privacy Security Experts (CHPSE) or Certified HIPAA Compliance Officers (CHCO), proving their knowledge of HIPAA standards and capacity to comply.
A trained consultant also conducts risk assessments, develops complete strategies, trains employees, and runs assessments. Their experience and commitment to protecting protected health information make them important to healthcare firms seeking adherence to HIPAA.
What It Includes
Someone to oversee HIPAA regulations is essential to ensuring that healthcare companies follow the rules and laws. The consultant provides expert advice, guidance, and assistance to ensure that sensitive patient information is handled securely and privacy is maintained.
Here are some key aspects of consulting services:
Comprehensive Risk Assessments
They analyze an organization's existing safety precautions, regulations, and procedures to identify any weaknesses that could expose PHI to unauthorized access or disclosure.
Developing Policies and Procedures
They work closely with the organization to ensure its policies and strategies meet HIPAA standards.
Implementation of Security Controls
They help companies protect PHI by putting strong technology and management protections in place.
Employee Education and Training
They teach workers the best ways to be aware of cybersecurity threats.
Ongoing Monitoring
They offer continuous supervision, conduct audits, and help fix problems to stay up-to-date with evolving threats to cybersecurity.
A Hypothetical Scenario for Compliance Consulting Services
A healthcare organization that provides medical billing services to various clinics across the United States, has recently been notified by one of its clients that they must comply with the regulations.
The healthcare group needs to figure out what compliance means. They are worried about what might happen if they don't follow the rules. They hire a consulting company to help them follow the rules.
The adviser starts by carefully looking at the systems and procedures of the healthcare company to find any places where compliance needs to be met. They look at the policies and processes of the group, talk to the staff, and look at any related paperwork.
Based on their findings, the consultant gives a detailed report of how the healthcare company needs to change to meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act laws. The study has a plan with steps that can be taken and deadlines for when they need to be done.
The consulting firm works closely with the staff of the healthcare group to make sure they understand what complying requires and what it means for them. They employ data encryption, access limits, and PHI management training.
The consultant keeps working with the healthcare group, doing checks and risk assessments daily to find any possible weaknesses. They give suggestions and advice on dealing with any problems to ensure the company stays in line.
Looking to Hire a Compliance Consulting Company?
Compliance consultants or third-party cybersecurity services can help organizations comply, reduce risks, and improve security. Subscribing to third-party cybersecurity services is another option for healthcare organizations seeking to improve their compliance for protecting patient data.
These services can include everything from vulnerability assessments or penetration testing to managed security services or incident response. These services provide an additional layer of protection by leveraging advanced security technologies. They have the expertise to safeguard digital assets and PHI.
