HIPAA Compliance plans
by Matthew Lewis
With a newer development in HIPAA compliance, HIPAA has extended its privacy and security rules by now requiring a 
compliance plan from both medical practices and business associates. There are a few crucial ways medical practices can prove compliance: Medical practices can show how they are keeping medical records private and secure through demonstrating how information is securely received and sent, how security breaches are responded to, how staff are trained to be well versed in HIPAA compliance with company training programs, and finally by listing the responsibilities of hired HIPAA compliance officers. It works much the same for business associates, with the focus being on protecting what patient data the BA comes into contact with. Either way, performing a security risk assessment is the first item on the list. The risk assessment will assist in forming the compliance plan as it will make you familiar with the items and sub policies you need to include.
Kypher can help with all portions of the compliance, including the review of your compliance plan. With Kypher, all medical practices and business associates can get started with a security risk assessment; here you can find out if your medical practice is HIPAA compliant and make the necessary changes.
To keep communications compliant with the privacy and security requirement(s) within the compliance plan, Kypher offers secure email, messaging, and file sharing.
Information about the security risk assessment from Kypher can be accessed here: http://www.kypher.com/index.php/security-risk-assessment/
Information about secure email, secure messaging, and secure file sharing can be accessed here: http://www.kypher.com/index.php/secure-messaging/
