Have you ever wondered what could occur if your medical information didn’t stay secret? This is what we mean by HIPAA violations. It’s a worldwide law known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This Act ensures that your health records remain confidential and provides guidelines for doctors to adhere to. Nonetheless, a small mistake might cause someone to violate this rule, leading to serious consequences.
What is a HIPAA Violation?
When somebody does not follow the set regulations in HIPAA, health information such as medical records become unsafe and disclosed, breaching the patient’s confidentiality. Whether it is a doctor, hospital, or health insurance firm, these guidelines cover any person managing medical records. Breaking them may lead to disclosing another person’s secret health details, which is prohibited.
HIPAA Violations & Their Compliances
Violation #1: Lack of Encryption
Encryption of information implies that the data has been changed to a code format that can only be accessed by those with access to the correct key, thus ensuring security. Without encryption, unauthorized persons can easily access private health information about people, which presents significant threats to patient confidentiality and breaches doctor-patient privilege.
For example, patient data can be accessed by anyone who intercepts the email a healthcare provider sends without encryption. Therefore, encryption is essential, especially in the Internet transmission of electronic medical records so that medical institutions can meet HIPAA standards.
Violation #2: Failure to Implement Security Measures
Institutions should include in their strategic plan the implementation of different security measures to protect patient information, such as firewalls, antivirus software, and secure access control, as provided by HIPAA. Non-implementation may lead to violating HIPAA laws.
A prime example is software that is outdated but easy to hack. One might lose personal information if sound security means are not in place. To comply with laws, healthcare providers should always modernize their security systems.
Violation #3: Improper Disposal of Records
Once medical records are no longer necessary, they should be disposed of accordingly to sustain the privacy of patient information. One of the most frequent HIPAA offenses is the mishandling of documents. This could occur when hardcopy documents are thrown into a garbage bin before being shredded or when we delete electronic files from a computer without wiping them off the hard drive.
All health records should be destroyed in such a manner that safeguards against unauthorized access to others, as required by HIPAA.
Violation #4: Not Providing Patients with Access to Their Records
HIPAA gives patients the right to view their medical records. When a healthcare provider denies a person access to their documents or takes too long to provide them, this is against the law. Individuals also have certain entitlements, such as knowing accurate details stored in files about themselves or asking to fix any mistakes present in files.
For instance, missing a 30-day deadline for releasing medical records upon a patient’s request violates the rules. So, medical professionals must provide ways for patients to access their records immediately without contravening the HIPAA Act.
Violation #5: Inadequate Employee Training
HIPAA compliance fundamentally depends on properly training those who come into contact with patient information. Neglecting its importance, employees might threaten patient privacy and security. For example, phishing scams are a common way for hackers to access personal health records through seemingly legitimate emails.
To ensure compliance, healthcare organizations should provide their staff with thorough training programs. This involves teaching workers how to take care of patient records in confidential ways and highlighting different steps one should undertake to safeguard patient information. Additionally, staff should undergo additional training on an irregular basis to familiarize them with new security techniques and challenges.
Violation #6: Improper Sharing of Information
Another common HIPAA violation is the improper sharing of patient information. This can happen when healthcare providers discuss patient details in public places where others can overhear or share information with unauthorized individuals. For example, both violations talk about a patient’s condition in a crowded elevator or sharing details with a family member who is not authorized to receive that information.
To avoid this, healthcare providers must implement strict policies on how and where patient information can be discussed. Private areas should be designated for conversations about patient care, and employees should be trained to verify the identity and authorization of anyone requesting patient information.
Violation #7: Insufficient Documentation
HIPAA requires healthcare providers to document their privacy and safety strategies meticulously. One may be penalized for providing inadequate or scanty information. Specific staff training records and security policies or risk assessments should be kept. For instance, a healthcare provider may implicate himself in a HIPAA violation when they fail to provide evidence that they conducted a needed risk assessment.
To comply, healthcare organizations need to make sure all necessary documentation is complete and current, which involves recording training sessions held for employees, any security measures adopted by the organization, what actions will be taken in case of emergencies, among others, as well as any examination carried out concerning uncertainty or evaluation.
Violation #8: Not Reporting Breaches
Immediately after it has happened, any violation of patient information security should be reported to the appropriate regulations as described in the Health Insurance and Accountability Act. It’s a major offense not making such reports on time. An instance is when an intruder accesses the medical files of clients at the hospital, yet no one knows about it until sixty days later; this, too, amounts to a violation, according to HIPAA.
Healthcare providers must have a clear policy on notifying breaches. This policy must include an outline of steps to be followed in case of a breach and how and when communication should occur with the affected patients and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If there are frequent mock exercises about this policy, it will help make sure that any breaches are reported without delay or mistakes.
Violation #9: Failure to Conduct Risk Assessments
As HIPAA prescribes, health maintenance organizations must carry out periodic checks to unveil any loopholes in their security measures. Failure to conduct these checks could result in undisclosed threats, which could violate HIPAA. For example, a clinic could be unaware of the vulnerability of its old software to hacking if it never undertakes any risk assessment.
Healthcare organizations must do a comprehensive risk assessment biannually to comply. These assessments aim to recognize potential threats to patient data and determine how well present security measures are working. It demonstrates that, in most cases, healthcare providers need to make essential changes to avert these hazards.
Final Thoughts on HIPAA Violations and Compliance
Breaching the HIPAA can have serious consequences, but there is a solution. Using a VPN service like PureVPN can be seen as one of the most effective ways of securing patient data against potential intrusion. PureVPN’s White Label solution allows healthcare facilities to safeguard their patients’ confidential information in compliance with the laws about this problem. PureVPN prevents unauthorized entry into healthcare facilities’ archives or leakage of such information by encrypting internet connections. It ensures that services offered by healthcare providers are not intercepted, thereby providing such entities’ privacy.