The importance of HIPAA compliance and how 101VOICE helps healthcare organizations meet those requirements.
Confidentiality in healthcare communication
The cornerstone for maintaining trust and compliance in the healthcare sector is to ensure patient information remains confidential. Compromised healthcare communication can lead to subpar care and VoIP system providers have an important role to play to avoid this. The name of the game is healthcare data protection and maintaining confidentiality. This is where the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) comes in.
HIPAA-compliant VoIP systems create opportunities for better privacy and security practices and, ultimately, better healthcare. Read on, and you will learn more about HIPAA and PHI, the healthcare industry’s challenges regarding healthcare data protection, and how 101VOICE helps customers ensure HIPAA compliance with their VoIP system.
What is Protected Health Information (PHI)?
Protected Health Information (PHI) refers to any individually identifiable health information that is created, received, stored, or transmitted by a covered entity or business associate under HIPAA regulations in the US. This includes basic demographic information, medical records, insurance and billing information, and identifying numbers (social security).
Under HIPAA, covered entities and their business associates must safeguard PHI and protect its confidentiality, integrity, and availability through proper handling and protection. Unauthorized disclosure or use of PHI can lead to serious consequences.
More about HIPAA Compliance
HIPAA compliance refers to adhering to the HIPAA regulations, including:
- The Privacy Rule establishes standards for protecting PHI, giving patients control over their health information, and outlining limitations on the use and disclosure of PHI by covered entities.
- The Security Rule sets the standards for securing electronic PHI (ePHI), requiring covered entities to implement privacy and security safeguards to protect against unauthorized access, use, and disclosure of ePHI.
- The Breach Notification Rule mandates that covered entities promptly notify individuals, the Department of Health and Human Services, and, in some cases, the media if a breach of unsecured PHI occurs.
- The Omnibus Rule expands and strengthens the HIPAA regulations, particularly regarding business associates, imposing direct liability on them for compliance.
The challenges of healthcare data protection
In our digital age, healthcare organizations face unique challenges in upholding patient privacy and healthcare data protection. There is protecting against unauthorized access to their voice data and network, ever-evolving threats including cyberattacks, ensuring VoIP call recording compliance, and the need for robust security measures with advancements like telemedicine.
It is crucial that healthcare organizations maintain patient trust, avoid penalties or legal consequences, and uphold the privacy and security of sensitive health information by ensuring HIPAA compliance with their VoIP systems.
How to ensure a HIPAA-compliant VoIP system for your organization
To comply with the HIPAA Security Rule (45 CFR Part 160, 164), healthcare organizations must implement technical security measures to guard against unauthorized access to electronic PHI transmitted over an electronic communications network.
Below are some of the practical ways 101VOICE helps customers comply:
- Email encryption of all voicemails and faxes designed to meet HIPAA regulations.
- Predefined encryption policies for PHI, identity, and financial data.
- A HIPAA-compliant Business Associate Agreement to help our resellers and customers comply.
- Fully encrypted audio and video meeting data with 101VOICE’s softphone and UC applications.
- TLS-encrypted signaling is available for voice installations upon request.
HIPAA Compliance and 101VOICE
At 101VOICE, we have designed our services to meet the privacy and security safeguards for PHI. A third party audits our policies, procedures, technologies, and services to validate conformance with HIPAA regulations.
You can rest easy knowing that our HIPAA compliance Agreement with all our resellers and customers will ensure your VoIP system is always 100% compliant. Contact us today to get started; our trusted team is waiting to help you.
