HIPAA Compliant Document Storage & Management
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed to ensure that health care organizations maintain proper document handling practices. In the 21st century, with most documents being digital, it’s vital to have access to that information when the organization needs it. Moreover, personally identifiable information needs to be kept secure to ensure that no one can use it against the individual it pertains to. SeraSript is the solution.
Understanding HIPAA Rules
The HIPAA rules apply to a wide range of organizations. Health care clearinghouses, health plans, and health care providers are all expected to follow the regulations regarding patient documents. The laws are broken down into the Privacy Rule and the Security Rule. The Privacy Rule deals with protected health information (PHI) which refers to any personally identifiable information about a particular patient. The Security Rule deals with a subset of information outlined by the Privacy Rule. However, the Security Rule only applies to electronic documents, not those transmitted orally or in writing. The Security Rule refers to four specific sub-rules that a compliant organization must conform to. They are:
- The organization is required to ensure the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of all PHI they create, receive, transmit or maintain on the premises.
- Data stored by the organization must be reasonably protected from security threats, including but not limited to breaches in electronic defenses and ransomware.
- It is the organization's responsibility to ensure that electronic patient information is not disclosed or used without express permission by the identified individual.
- An institution is responsible for its employees following the Privacy and Security Rules.
Companies involved in any of the previously mentioned areas of healthcare should ensure that their document management system conforms to the HIPAA rules or risk getting hit with penalties as a result.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
As a follow-up to the HIPAA, the Omnibus Rule instituted what could be levied as penalties in the case of non-compliance by an institution. Within the scheme of non-compliance and organization might fall under one of four tiers:
- Tier 1: The organization was unaware of the lack of compliance and could not have been aware of it while following the HIPAA guidelines.
- Tier 2: A violation of the HIPAA rules that the organization was aware of but couldn’t have prevented while following the HIPAA rules.
- Tier 3: Violations that come from “willful neglect” of the HIPAA rules, where an attempt has been made to correct the violation.
- Tier 4: Willful neglect violations where the organization was aware of the problem but made no move to attempt corrective action.
The fines for these violations range in order of severity and tier. Tier 1 violations invoke less severe penalties than Tier 4 violations. Non-compliance fines have been recorded to range from $50,000 to more than $250,000 per violation. Additional penalties may also be instituted that may see directors of a violating company imprisoned for up to ten years.
How SeraScript Ensures HIPAA Compliance
SeraScript is a document management service, paying particular attention to the needs of organizations that should follow HIPAA regulations in document storage and retrieval. Among the benefits that SeraScript offers to these organizations include:
Integrated Security
SeraScript is built with blockchain technology, ensuring that data stored on the file system is secure and protected from breaches.
Availability & Integrity
Because SeraScript runs several independent data centers, an organization’s data is always available, even if one of those data centers is undergoing maintenance.
Built-In Defense
Because data is stored securely on the remote data center, ransomware attacks have little to no impact since information isn’t on the local computer or data storage system.
Confidentiality
Because of its integrated DocuSign system, SeraScript can ensure that documents can be signed to create a chain of custody.
Organization Tools
When information is received or created, it can be added to a searchable index, allowing a more accessible location of patient records when necessary.
Why Choose SeraScript?
SeraScript can be a game-changer for organizations that want to ensure that they conform to HIPAA rules. With the increasing focus on patient confidentiality and securing data from individual patients, an organization needs to make the best decision for its document management service. SeraScript provides all the tools an organization needs to comply with HIPAA rules. Contact us today to find out more!
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