HIPAA and EPHI Security

Data Encryption De-Mystified - HIPAA and EPHI Security

As patient medical records are placed online, healthcare organizations face a host of HIPAA Security Rule compliance challenges, including securing Electronic Protected Health Information (EPHI) and streamlining compliance and IT audit processes.  Abtech Systems is dedicated to helping our customers meet HIPAA compliance for EPHI.  Data Encryption is a key component of the safeguards that ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all electronic protected health information.

Who is required to follow the HIPAA requirements?

• All private sector health plans(including managed care organizations and ERISA plans, but excluding certain small self administered health plans)
• Government health plans (including Medicare, State Medicaid programs, the Military Health System for active duty and civilian personnel, the Veterans Health Administration, and Indian Health Service programs)
• All health care clearing houses,and all health care providers (example physical therapists, urgent care centers, physicians) that choose to submit or receive these transactions electronically are required to use these standards. 

It only takes a simple review of your last trip to the doctor or urgent care center to visualize important and personal information that might be required to disclose such as:

• Your SOCIAL SECURITY number
• Your medical ID number (and probably your spouses)
• Your credit card number if you paid your co-pay
• Possibly your drivers license number to validate your credit card information
• Your home address and telephone number (cell # too?)
• Your childhood diseases, medications, hospital visits, serious health issues
• Family history, family members and more

By filling out a little form, you have set yourself up for identity theft, medical prescription fraud, Medicare fraud and a possibility of many unfriendly people having access your medical history (plus much, much more). That’s just one record for one medical visit. Multiply that figure ten-fold if you are a health care organization.

Hospitals just don’t like paper any more. Everything is electronic from the moment you walk in the door until 50 years after you die. All of your medical records, X-Rays, MRIs and CAT scans are in the network. Who has the responsibility to take care of those records? Almost always, it is the IT professional at hospitals and medical centers everywhere.

But, hospitals and medical centers aren’t the only places that require a higher order of protection for patient data. Clinics, retirement homes, rehab facilities and labs are just a few of the places that fall under HIPAA requirements.

Abtech Systems cuts through the confusion and has is own line of Abtech-branded solutions for healthcare professional. Don't wait until the FBI is knocking on your door asking to see your records. Avoid that lawsuit!

Introducing DataTrust for Healthcare by Abtech Systems

DataTrust is a growing line of products from Abtech Systems that are packaged specifically for healthcare IT infrastructure. DataTrust provides comprehensive solutions bundled in simple to install packages that can provide immediate help in preparing data to meet HIPAA requirements.  

Regulatory change of this magnitude requires planning and a knowledgeable partner. Many organizations do not have the time or personnel to address HIPAA compliance. Abtech’s HIPAA experts can work within your organization to cost effectively perform all functions to keep your organization in compliance.  

Abtech Systems is a place where you can chose a few tactical RISK AVERSE solutions designed to be simple and effective in filling some of the data security holes that live in your environment.  Let Abtech Systems de-mystify the solutions for you and provide good, affordable, tactical solutions to meet HIPAA requirements.

Here are four things you can do right now – even on a limited budget.

DataTrust/Tape - Maintain Accountability for Electronic Media 

Off site tape encryption that meets HIPAA definitions of secure off-site data 

DataTrust/CAS - Maintain Accountability for Electronic Based Data
Managing health care professionals who have access to sensitive data and avoiding accidental exposure. It should be obvious that paper medical records are not the wave of the future. Abtech will help your organization explore the issues around accountability of media and hardware in today’s data center. 

DataTrust/View - Manage health care professionals who have access to sensitive data

Managing data for availability – manage who has the data and avoid unintentional disclosure. Managing health care professionals who have access to sensitive data and avoiding accidental exposure

DataTrust/Audit - Implement a Mechanism to Authenticate EPHI
 Implement electronic mechanisms to corroborate that EPHI has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner.