HIPAA Access Controls: Role-Based Permissions and Least Privilege
HIPAA Access Controls: Role-Based Permissions and Least Privilege Access control is where HIPAA stops being a paperwork exercise and becomes an engineering decision. Most breaches that draw enforcement attention are not exotic hacks; they are ordinary accounts that could see far more protected health information than the person behind them ever needed. The two ideas […]
HIPAA and Genetic Information: GINA Compliance for Healthcare Providers
HIPAA and Genetic Information: GINA Compliance for Healthcare Providers Genetic information sits at the intersection of two federal laws, and that is what makes it distinct from the rest of the protected health information (PHI) a provider handles. HIPAA governs how genetic data is protected as PHI, while the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) governs […]
Do Fitness Trackers and Health Apps Need HIPAA Compliance?
Do Fitness Trackers and Health Apps Need HIPAA Compliance? Quick Answer: Most consumer fitness trackers and health apps are not covered by HIPAA because the companies are not covered entities or business associates. However, when health app data is shared with healthcare providers or health plans, HIPAA may apply. The FTC Health Breach Notification Rule […]
HIPAA Audit Log Requirements: What to Track and How Long to Keep Logs
HIPAA Audit Log Requirements: What to Track and How Long to Keep Logs Quick Answer: HIPAA requires audit controls that record and examine activity in systems containing ePHI. Logs must capture user identification, access timestamps, actions performed, and data accessed. Retention of audit logs should be at least six years per HIPAA documentation requirements. The […]
HIPAA Incident Response Plan: How to Prepare for and Handle a Breach
HIPAA Incident Response Plan: How to Prepare for and Handle a Breach Quick Answer: A HIPAA incident response plan defines how your organization detects, contains, investigates, and reports security incidents involving PHI. Required components include incident detection procedures, containment strategies, forensic investigation steps, breach risk assessment methodology, notification timelines, and post-incident remediation protocols. Related Articles […]
HIPAA and Group Therapy: Privacy Considerations for Group Sessions
HIPAA and Group Therapy: Privacy Considerations for Group Sessions Group therapy creates a HIPAA problem that individual sessions never do: the patients themselves are in the room. When six people sit in a circle and one discloses a relapse, the others hear it. That shared exposure — and the documentation it generates — makes HIPAA […]
HIPAA Compliant Text Messaging: Can Healthcare Providers Text About Patients?
HIPAA Compliant Text Messaging: Can Healthcare Providers Text About Patients? Quick Answer: Standard SMS text messaging is not HIPAA compliant because messages are unencrypted and stored on carrier servers. Healthcare providers must use HIPAA compliant messaging platforms with end-to-end encryption, access controls, message expiration, remote wipe capability, and audit logging. A BAA with the platform […]
HIPAA Compliance for Rheumatology Practices: Chronic Disease Management
HIPAA Compliance for Rheumatology Practices: Chronic Disease Management What makes HIPAA compliance distinct for rheumatology is time and connectivity. Rheumatology is chronic-care medicine — patients with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, or vasculitis are often followed for decades, generating one of the longest and most detailed longitudinal records in medicine. Every infusion, lab panel, imaging […]
HIPAA Compliance for Healthcare Startups: Building Security from Day One
HIPAA Compliance for Healthcare Startups: Building Security from Day One Quick Answer: Healthcare startups should build HIPAA compliance into their foundation rather than retrofitting later. Start with a Security Risk Assessment, implement security-by-design principles in product development, establish policies before hiring, choose HIPAA-eligible cloud infrastructure, and budget for compliance as a core operational cost from […]
HIPAA De-identification: Safe Harbor vs Expert Determination Methods
HIPAA De-identification: Safe Harbor vs Expert Determination Methods De-identification is the one place in HIPAA where protected health information can legally stop being protected. Once data is de-identified under the Privacy Rule, it is no longer PHI and the Rule’s restrictions fall away, which is exactly why the standard for getting there is precise and […]