By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    How Powerful Patients Save the System Money
    November 11, 2015
    How Financial Barriers are Slowing Down Telehealth Adoption
    September 26, 2017
    No Resource Constraints in Dialysis: a Blessing and a Curse
    May 4, 2011
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: HIPAA and Protecting Patient Information
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Medical Records > HIPAA and Protecting Patient Information
BusinessMedical RecordsTechnology

HIPAA and Protecting Patient Information

Tim_Edlund
Tim_Edlund
Share
4 Min Read
hipaa
SHARE

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has many physicians nervous about their responsibilities in protecting patient information. Respecting patient privacy has always been both a moral and legal issue, but new technologies raise new questions about how to safeguard confidential information.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has many physicians nervous about their responsibilities in protecting patient information. Respecting patient privacy has always been both a moral and legal issue, but new technologies raise new questions about how to safeguard confidential information.

hipaaElectronic protected health information (EPHI) refers to individually identifiable health information that is created or stored electronically. Like a traditional chart, strict rules govern who can access EPHI.

In my next post, I’ll tell you about specific ways to control access to patient health information. Today, I’ll focus on the broader issue of data security.

More Read

4 Ways to Harness Trending Headlines in Your Physician Marketing Strategy
Five Ways to Rock Healthcare Marketing in 2015
Is Virtual Reality the Next Big Thing for Mental Health?
9 Hospitals That Have Introduced Green Initiatives
Health Care Buzz Today

HIPAA requires healthcare providers to assess their data security risks and take reasonable measures to safeguard patient information. Choosing the right electronic medical record (EMR) software is essential to keeping data secure and complying with HIPAA guidelines. 

EPHI Encryption

Encryption is a method of encoding data that allows only authorized readers to properly view it. Encryption makes data indecipherable—or cryptic—to unauthorized eyes. Intended audiences, such as physicians and administrators, are able to view data when they possess a key. Effective keys can be as simple as username-password combinations and as complex as biometric recognition of fingerprints or retinas.

While EPHI encryption is not yet required by law, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends encryption as a best practice for protecting patient information. The best EMR softwares encrypt this data at all times—in transmission and at rest. 

protecting patient information

Most internet users are familiar with little lock icons near the address bar. These icons tell you when your transmissions are encrypted.

However, many users don’t realize that data at rest on their hard drive may not be encrypted. It is important to encrypt data at rest to protect confidential information in the event of loss or theft.

Theft and loss of unencrypted hard drives and portable devices account for the majority of HIPAA breaches.

hipaa breachesSource: The Proftiable Practice

The risks of theft and loss can be further mitigated by storing data on dedicated off-site servers—in the cloud.  

What About Cloud Solutions?

Cloud-based solutions are not inherently more or less secure than on-premise solutions. It’s all about how the system is set up and the software it uses.

While running an EMR on a cloud provider may seem more vulnerable, the crucial factor is the security measures put in place by the provider. The same is true for on-premise solutions—nearly all of which also have exposure to attacks from the internet. Cloud-based solutions are often more secure because they are managed by expert teams—something that smaller organizations may not be able to afford on-premise.

What is clear is that cloud solutions for healthcare providers must provide access controls and encryption to prevent security breaches. The best cloud networks use encrypted storage, not only for active data, but also for backups. 

Cloud solutions decrease the burden on hospital IT departments and save smaller clinics the costs associated with building and maintaining expert security systems. Choosing the right cloud provider is one strategy to simplify the complexity of meeting HIPAA standards.

TAGGED:HIPAA
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025

You Might also Like

Designing a Health App that Works

April 13, 2011
Medicaid
BusinessFinancePolicy & LawPublic Health

Medicaid Eligibility Enrollment and Self-Pay Collection Opportunities Projected to Increase

October 15, 2013

How to Stand Out as a Healthcare Sales Professional

June 9, 2016

Interview with Jarrod Fath of BrainControl, Winner of the 2013 EU eHealth Competition

July 9, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?