How IT Support in Sacramento Can Help You Avoid HIPAA Violations

IT support in Sacramento can help you avoid the nasty fallout that occurs from accidentally transgressing boundaries put in place by HIPAA. There are a lot of ways this is done, and one is through what’s known as shared liability. With shared liability, any transgressions of HIPAA standards will mete out a penalty to the IT provider who should have been responsible enough to help prevent them. This gives said IT provider an added prerogative to help you avoid being charged with a violation. Several other considerable tips include:

• Comprehending guidelines
• Training staff to properly handle sensitive issues
• Ensuring third-party disclosure doesn’t happen
• Taking all care to properly dispose of certain information
• Managing mobile devices securely

Comprehending Guidelines

It doesn’t matter if you didn’t realize something you or your staff have done is in violation of HIPAA. Since patient records and data can be phished, hacked, stolen or otherwise maligned, such an oversight has the propensity to result in the death of one or multiple patients. So, enforcement is strict on this issue. You should know all the guidelines and work with a provider of IT support in Sacramento to ensure that you do. This will help you avoid unknown violations.

Training Staff to Properly Handle Sensitive Issues

Even if management understands the risks, that doesn’t automatically translate to the way your staff will handle information technologically speaking. You need to train everyone so that they’re up-to-date, and this can’t be done one time. Technology keeps advancing, which forces HIPAA to augment itself as time goes by. You’ll need regular training, and keeping on top of it can be impossible without assistance from the right support provider.

Ensuring Third-Party Disclosure Doesn’t Happen

PHI stands for Personal Health Information, and this can be incidentally disclosed to business associates if you’re not careful. This is commonly something that will cause a HIPAA violation if it isn’t done correctly. Now, not all healthcare providers are tasked with PHI protections in this regard, but many are, and you need to know where you stand. An MSP can be extremely useful in this regard.

Taking All Care to Properly Dispose of Certain Information

You can be in danger of violation simply by not getting rid of certain information in the right way. Consider photocopying machines, for example. If you don’t erase the hard drives before you send them off for disposal, that’s a violation. Why? Cybercriminals can take that information and put patients at risk, so HIPAA must respect this reality. An MSP can help you know where the risks lie and understand how to avoid them.

Managing Mobile Devices Securely

Mobile devices in healthcare are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they can expedite the provision of healthcare. On the other hand, if you don’t properly manage them, they’re one of the easiest ways criminal elements can exploit PHI. Work with an MSP to help secure your use of them.

Securing Your Facility

IT support in Sacramento through Noverus Innovations, Inc. can help you properly manage PHI disposal, mobile device management, third-party disclosure, training and guideline comprehension. Contact us to help ensure that you don’t have to deal with the fallout from an expensive HIPAA fine due to violation, accidental or otherwise.