With the escalation of online activity among patients, physicians, and insurance organisations, there is a growing anxiety regarding the likelihood of exposing sensitive patient details, which must be tackled to safeguard the confidentiality and protection of patient data.
The healthcare industry has undergone a transformation with the advent of the internet, which has brought numerous benefits to patients. Some of these advantages are the ability to update their doctor about their health, request treatments, schedule appointments, go for virtual consultations, and even opt for selected surgical procedures which can be conducted at neighborhood centres under the supervision of experts from other regions. All these benefits have made healthcare more approachable and enriched the quality of patient care.
While healthcare technology presents numerous benefits, it also involves certain risks. The growing participation of patients, physicians, and insurance agencies in online activities highlights the essential need to safeguard the confidentiality of patients’ data. As a solution to this problem, healthcare providers are partnering with software development services to implement and improve their tools, which poses a significant hurdle in terms of preserving data security and privacy across various providers.
The optimal avenue to tackle this issue considerably is staff augmentation. Collaborating with an external partner who possesses the requisite proficiency and knowledge in healthcare software development can help you conserve both time and financial resources.
What precisely does HIPAA 2023 encompass?
For any organisation that gathers and preserves sensitive information about its customers or clients, safeguarding such data from cyber threats is crucial. Healthcare providers must establish secure systems to store and communicate patient healthcare data as patients’ privacy rights must be maintained and protected from possible intruders online.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) specifically deals with the issues arising from advancements in healthcare technology. The Act is consistently revised to uphold its definition and goals which are still suitable and relevant. In order to have a successful implementation, a complete understanding of the Act and its regulations is imperative.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) empowers individuals who have been laid off or lost their job to keep their healthcare insurance intact during the transition phase. They can either sign up for a government-sponsored scheme or register for a private plan offered by their ex-employer. Additionally, the changes established by HIPAA ensure better security measures are imposed to protect patients’ confidential medical records, referred to as Protected Health Information (PHI), which comprise enormous amounts of sensitive data and are becoming increasingly appealing to cybercriminals.
Are There Any Requirements that Healthcare Software Development Services Must Fulfil to Comply with HIPAA 2023?
HIPAA requires compliance from numerous organisations, which include but are not restricted to:
- Healthcare providers like physicians, chiropractors, dentists, and psychologists who provide medical treatment
- Health insurance providers like Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and publicly-funded initiatives, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Veterans Health Administration, are jointly known as ‘health plans.’
- Self-insured companies and healthcare clearinghouses
Besides, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) applies to ‘business associates’ – third-party companies that work with patient health information (PHI) on behalf of regulated businesses. This policy could even expand to include subcontractors of these business associates.
For a comprehensive list of individuals who have legal obligations under the law, please refer to Section 160.103 of the HIPAA Rules.
Meeting HIPAA 2023 Requirements Necessitates High-level Cybersecurity
Identity theft specifically from healthcare providers is on the rise, which has become a significant apprehension across all sectors that store personal data. To combat this alarming trend, advanced cybersecurity practices and heightened alertness are crucial.
Software development firms bear the responsibility of ensuring that standard security protocols are put in place during software deployment and operation. This necessitates access security controls, such as encryption, to safeguard against unauthorized access to software and RDBs data warehousing solutions. Moreover, sensitive information must be handled with caution when it is sent between computers over wide-area networks. To effectively address these concerns, it is crucial to anticipate them and establish suitable countermeasures.
Disregarding HIPAA 2023 regulations poses a threat to the well-being of your patients, and the penalties for non-compliance have increased over the past year. Hence, it is crucial that you comply with the standards for data protection and software development in accordance with HIPAA 2023 regulations to ensure patient safety.
Getting Ready for HIPAA 2023 Compliance in Healthcare Software Development
- Establish or modify your business partner contracts with all software vendors. Here are a few approaches to safeguard your software’s uniqueness.
- As the responsible entity, it is incumbent on you to ensure that your software provider or business analyst (along with any of their subcontractors or suppliers) undergoes annual auditing.
- An Evaluation of Possible Security Risks
- Reviewing Safety Standards
- Analysis of HiTECH Title D
- Assessment of Devices and Resources
- Inspection of the Physical Premises
- Changes to HIPAA regulations should be regularly reviewed, and implemented as soon as possible. This requirement extends to your business associates as well.
- Ensure that any software developers you collaborate with in the future meet HIPAA compliance standards.
If you wish to be absolutely certain that you are HIPAA 2023 compliant, a checklist such as the one given by the Compliancy Group can be beneficial.
A fully committed team can manage software development for the healthcare sector or additional personnel may be added for support. If you’re thinking about nearshore outsourcing, Works is the perfect choice. We have unparalleled access to the finest IT experts in Latin America, ensuring that you receive exceptional services. If you’d like more information on how we can help you, don’t hesitate to contact us today.Click here to discover more about software development for the healthcare industry.
