HIPAA Data Dilemma

Health centers face data dilemma

By Michael
December 11, 2014

Health centers and hospitals have become infamous for their lack of data control. Breaches have rocked the industry over the last year – over a dozen occurred in the last few months alone, according to Beckers Hospital Review. Additionally, the massive amount of records that hospitals must keep track of  – and eventually get rid of – makes for a tedious logistical dilemma. That data is only increasing as mobile devices and digital records become more commonplace.

These facilities must make an extra effort to comply with federal regulations, ensure that old patient information is discarded and integrate new systems smoothly while disposing of old assets correctly.

HIPAA imposes strict regulations on health centers
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) adds another layer to data security for those companies that deal with clients’ health information, reported Government Health IT. As a result, hospitals have turned to data virtualization as means of keeping more accurate, up-to-date and easily altered records.

Unfortunately, this transition has not always been flawless. Staff members are often without the necessary training on how to handle sensitive IT information. Neglect of proper security protocol – like leaving programs open or unknowingly revealing passwords – can lead to massive security breaches and failure to pass audits at best.

Additionally, as information is transferred, hardware must be wiped, destroyed, or otherwise taken care of as necessary. Without a proper data destruction policy, clients’ records can be left available long after they are no longer members of the hospital, leaving them at risk of having information stolen.

B&L offers an effective solution through AssetAware. The program automates offline asset tracking, allowing the user to verify the chain of custody, determine the location and status of any asset and create veritable reports for audits and management.

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