Certain businesses that deal with confidential information rely on managed IT services in Austin to make sure they are compliant with government regulations. Hospitals, for example, must be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. Here are reasons why you should make sure your IT provider understands government regulations that apply to your industry:
Consequences of HIPAA Violations
The penalties for organizations failing to comply with HIPAA can range from fines to criminal charges. An individual can face charges of negligence that can lead to jail time. HIPAA is designed to protect the medical records and other confidential information of healthcare patients. It mandates that health organizations meet certain security requirements. Here are helpful practices to ensure HIPAA compliance:
- Clear understanding of guidelines
- Proper training
- Do not give confidential data to unauthorized third parties
- Secure disposal of data
- Use network monitoring software
It’s important for managers and IT personnel to know the laws and regulations that pertain to HIPAA, as overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). You must be aware of the HIPAA security rule that requires safe storage and transport methods using electronic patient records only to authorized individuals. Your organization can be penalized for employee errors or the loss or theft of employee-owned mobile devices.
Training Strategies for Government Compliance
Since no organization wants to be documented for violating laws and regulations, it’s important to train your staff in government compliance. If your industry must follow specific laws, make sure each employee is aware of any laws that might affect the firm’s public reputation. It’s helpful to hold regular employee meetings on compliance. Your managed IT services team in Austin can take a proactive approach by participating in these meetings to answer questions.
One of the most crucial measures your company can take if it’s required to follow HIPAA policies is to educate each employee on protecting patient information from third-party disclosures. A company can face HIPPA violations if it improperly discloses personal health information (PHI) to individuals who are not granted permission to access the data. Both a covered entity (CE), such as a healthcare provider who protects PHI, and third parties are responsible for being HIPAA-compliant.
You will need to make employees aware of proper disposal methods for PHI that no longer needs to be stored. The information must be shredded in its physical form and disabled in its digital form. Wiping a mobile device may be necessary to remove the data.
Managing a Mobile Environment
Health organizations are successfully speeding up tasks with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies. By using mobile devices, a doctor on one floor can communicate with a medical professional on another floor. This increase in mobile activity requires that the organization monitor its network with Mobile Device Management (MDM) software. MDM software helps protect your organization by allowing you to assign passwords and encryption to specific mobile devices.
Conclusion
Your managed IT services team in Austin can help your organization with HIPAA compliance. The best-case scenario is that your organization and your MSP have a clear understanding of your responsibilities. Contact us at Contigo Technology to learn more about how we can make sure your business technology is secure.