Complying with medical regulations is a priority for anyone in the field. The Health and Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in the 1990s to protect patient health records. The problem is that this was a time when health records were mainly stored on paper. The digital world has advanced much faster than the law intended, and so that’s where HIPAA hosting has to come in. We’re going to go into how you can find the best hosting provider for your medical website.
What is HIPAA Complaint Hosting?
The first step is to make sure that you work with a host that’s HIPAA compliant. HIPAA compliant hosts are audited every year to make sure they comply with the regulations set down by the act. On the surface, these web hosts don’t look that much different from standard web hosts. But if we dig a little deeper, we can see that they come with features like: firewalls, data encryption, intrusion detection systems, and a variety of other security tools. This is vital because complaints are taken seriously, with almost 200,000 separate cases since 2003.
Does Your Host Offer the Right Security at Home?
It’s not just about online security that makes a host HIPAA complaint. You need to make sure that they also manage physical access. For example, a HIPAA host will also restrict access to data servers. Only authorized personnel within the company will be able to access the data servers. Look up the auditing reviews of your host to ensure they comply with these regulations.
Can You Get the Web Services You Need from Your Host?
The difficulty in choosing a HIPAA host is that you also need to find a host that offers great web services. There are so many different companies that it can be often difficult to determine which is best. That’s why we recommend first compiling a list of complaint hosting companies and then comparing them based on what people are saying. For example, if we look at some Hostgator reviews made by users, they, as a compliant host, have a high user rating for all their services. So, you would know that they would be a viable option, depending on the needs of your company. It’s time-consuming to read through all these reviews, but it’s worth it because then you can choose with confidence.
What are the Needs of Your Business?
Ultimately, the best HIPAA host comes down to the needs of your business. You need to decide what you want your host to provide you. Make a list of what you expect to get from your website and then compare that list with what the host offers. Remember that your medical website must be HIPAA compliant even if you’re not operating a healthcare facility. Anyone who comes into contact with medical records must have the necessary protections in place.
Last Word – Choosing the Right Host for You
The host you choose is not a decision to take lightly. You don’t want to get this wrong or you could find yourself with problems later. It’s much easier to make the right decision now than it is to migrate your website to another host later. Read through the reviews on your chosen HIPAA compliant hosts and make your decision!