Are you current on GDPR’s compliance regulations? You don’t need to be however, it’s possible to be intimidated by complicated and ever-changing GDPR regulations. It’s all about protecting data and giving consumers the ability to control their personal data as well as ensuring safe storage of all digital data. It is possible to learn more about GDPR from other organizations or get started with it.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and GDPR (Global Data Protection Regulations) are two acronyms healthcare professionals and companies who handle personal information must be aware of. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is an US law that governs the disclosure and use of patient’s personal health information. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDR) is an EU regulation that applies to any business that handles personal information of EU citizens. Although they might have different reasons, they all have the same aim: ensure the privacy of personal data and security.
Why HIPAA and GDPR Compliance are Important
For many reasons, compliance with HIPAA/GDPR is crucial. Firstly, it helps protect confidential data from unauthorized access, disclosure, and misuse. Healthcare providers, for instance manage sensitive medical information that could be used to perpetrate identity theft or medical fraud. Businesses that handle personal details, such as names, addresses and email addresses are bound by GDPR. This applies whether it is used for identity theft, fraud or for phishing.
The regulations are legally binding. HIPAA regulations are applicable to covered entities like healthcare providers, health plans, or even healthcare clearinghouses. HIPAA violations could result in civil penalties and criminal charges as well as damage to the reputation of healthcare providers. The GDPR also applies to all businesses that handle the personal data of EU residents regardless of their place of operation. If you do not comply, you could face heavy penalties or legal action.
Respecting these regulations can build trust with customers and patients. Patients and customers expect security and privacy when it comes to handling personal information. Being in compliance to HIPAA and GDPR regulations could be a sign that a business takes data privacy and security seriously and is committed to safeguarding the privacy of personal data.
HIPAA and GDPR Compliance Important Requirements
HIPAA and GDPR regulations include various requirements that businesses need to be aware of. For HIPAA covered entities, covered entities must ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information (ePHI). This means implementing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that protect ePHI against misuse, access or disclosure. To prevent security breaches and other incidents, covered entities need to have policies and procedures.
Businesses must seek explicit consent from the individuals they serve to collect and use their personal data under GDPR. Consent must be freely granted explicit and informing. The consent must not be vague. The GDPR mandates that businesses allow individuals to be able to access, rectify or erase their personal information. To safeguard personal data businesses need to take the appropriate organizational and technical measures.
HIPAA and GDPR Compliance – Best Practices
To comply to HIPAA and GDPR regulations, businesses must implement best practices that guarantee the security and privacy of personal information. Some best practices include:
Risk assessments must be conducted frequently by companies to evaluate the risks to integrity, confidentiality, accessibility and security of personal data. This helps to identify potential weaknesses and ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place.
Set up access controls: Only authorized personnel should be able to access personal information. This may include the use of strong passwords, multi-factor authentication and access control based on the principle of most privilege.
Training employees: Employees must be trained on data privacy. This could help to prevent accidental and intentional data breaches.
Plan for incident response Businesses should develop plans to handle potential security breaches or incidents. This can include the identification of a response team, establishing communication protocols, and organizing regular drills.
HIPAA and GDPR compliance is critical for businesses that handle personal data. These regulations safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access, disclosure, and misuse, and show an interest in data security and privacy. Companies can comply with these laws by following best practices for conducting risk assessments, setting up access controls, educating employees, and implementing the plans for responding to incidents.
For more information, click HIPAA Compliance News and Advice