How Managed IT Services in Dallas, Fort Worth can ensure HIPAA Compliance?
Technology analysts and experts agree that the healthcare industry is more prone to cyber crimes and data breaches in the US. However, the best healthcare businesses aim to ensure HIPAA Compliance. Most of them are adopting EMR (Electronic Medical Records) Systems, so it is more important to stay alert of cyber breaches.
Studies show that Texas was one of the most affected states by cybercrime in the US in 2019. Therefore, healthcare businesses in the biggest cities of Texas, like Dallas, Fort Worth, and others, need to strengthen their technical safeguards. To ensure HIPAA Compliance, they require top-notch and competent Managed Services by a trusted Managed Service Provider in Dallas, Fort Worth.
Ighty Support LLC is an established company offering Managed IT Services in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas. They are known for their professional IT Support Services, ethical practices, and compliance with legal norms. In the past decade, they have worked with many healthcare businesses across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Hospitals, clinics, healthcare insurance companies, medicine suppliers are some of them. To keep the health information confidential, they implement all technical, administrative, and physical safeguards of the HIPAA rules.
Healthcare organizations can focus on their patients, while MSPs maintain Protected Health Information (PHI) of patients for them.
Managed Services for HIPAA Compliance in the Healthcare Industry
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations govern healthcare organizations to ensure that medical information is stored, transmitted, and received safely and securely.
PHI includes social security numbers, insurance IDs, healthcare records (lab results, medical history) recorded by healthcare organizations. It also provides other information like names of patients with facial photos, date of birth, contact details (addresses, phone numbers, email ids). This medical information or PHI can be used for identity theft or other criminal activities. Therefore, implementing security and confidentiality measures is required.
The following are the Managed Services for healthcare businesses that ensure the fulfillment of HIPAA Compliance requirements.
1. IT Infrastructure
IT Infrastructure Setup is a part of Managed Services. IT Support Dallas, Fort Worth Companies offer the latest hardware equipment, installation, and configuration of required software applications, and wired or wireless networks.
2. Latest tools to keep Medical Records protected
Implement tools for encryption of data for safe transit, access, and storage of e-PHI. Encrypted PHI as per the NIST standards is safe to transfer to an external network. Activity logs and audit logs give more transparency and safety of the PHI. Automatic log off from the device if it left unattended for a longer period is also essential. These steps restrict unauthorized access to e-PHI.
3. Secure VPNs with Network Firewalls
Managed Service Providers establish secure Virtual Private Networks for secured and easy connectivity. Firewalls installed under Managed Services safeguards the IT networks of hospitals and clinics. Well-configured Firewalls restrict any suspicious sources and packets of information trying to enter the protected IT network. It helps in safe transmitting and access to PHI for patients and healthcare organizations.
4. System Audits
To ensure the process and systems are safe, HIPAA demands healthcare organizations to monitor and do regular risk assessments. Managed Service Providers help businesses with systems checks of devices and networks, detailed analysis, and implementation of better resources if required.
5. Employee Training
When you hire an IT Support Company, you also get expert technicians for your support. They help your employees learn how to maintain the security of PHI and follow HIPAA compliance rules.
6. Office Security
As a part of physical safeguards under HIPAA, healthcare organizations need to control and ensure limited access to physical medical records and e-PHI systems. With the help of security cameras and access locks installed by MSPs, they can monitor and ensure restricted and authorized access to the medical records. They can help protect the location and devices within your practice.
7. Backups services
Healthcare businesses should ensure safe backups of PHI. Managed Services include Cloud Backup Services. They are the best solution for backing up data online.
How can Healthcare Businesses choose Best Managed Service Providers?
For healthcare businesses choosing a wrong MSP means putting patient’s trust at stake, while selecting a right MSP strengthens patients’ faith in them. They can follow the below checklist to determine who is the right Managed Service Provider for their healthcare business.
- Well-informed about HIPAA and other legal norms: This is the foremost requirement to look for in an MSP. Any Managed Service Provider who is not aware of the healthcare industry’s regulations and your expectations won’t be able to deliver the best IT Support Services.
- Prior experience and good reviews from healthcare businesses: When you partner with an experienced IT company in your industry, there are fewer chances of mistakes. This aspect also gives you more assurance.
- Situated in your locality: If your MSP is located near your workplace, it gives you an added advantage. You can expect and schedule quick on-site visits whenever necessary.
- 24/7 Remote Support: 24/7 Managed Services for healthcare businesses are the best option. Healthcare organizations work round-the-clock. Therefore, they need Managed Services Providers who are available day and night and respond quickly.
- Equipped with advanced technology tools: HIPAA compliance in the healthcare industry is essential and requires advanced security measures. Healthcare businesses should make sure their IT Support partners are well-equipped with the necessary technologies.
The list doesn’t end with these 5 points. There are other factors you would look for, like the cost of Managed Services, policies of MSPs, their working methodologies, and others. But above 5 points are a must.
Your patients trust you, so you need to ensure your MSP is trustworthy too.
Records show the total cost of healthcare breaches was 6.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2017. Your healthcare business can avoid such huge expenses with HIPAA Rules Compliance and help from a professional IT Support Company in Dallas, Fort Worth. HIPAA regulations govern healthcare organizations to keep patient information safe and confidential. It requires healthcare organizations to adopt secure processes and access. Because when a patient trusts you in getting the best healthcare services, they also trust you to keep their information safe and confidential. Managed IT Services in Dallas, Fort Worth helps healthcare businesses meet all the administrative, physical, and technical safeguards of HIPAA regulations.
