Common HIPAA Violations And How Small Businesses Can Avoid?

 Maintaining HIPAA compliance is crucial for anyone dealing with protected health information (PHI). By understanding common HIPAA violations and how to avoid them, small businesses can ensure they remain compliant and keep sensitive information safe. This post will explain five frequently committed small business HIPAA compliance  violations and detail ways in which your small business can follow HIPAA compliance.

Improper Employee Training 

One of the most common HIPAA violations occurs as a result of ineffective employee training. Employees also have responsibilities under HIPAA for PHI protection. 

Avoid: You need to have regular HIPAA compliance training. 

Changes To Report At HIPAA Level 

Establish strict procedures for handling PHI and ensure all members of your staff are entirely familiar with them. The tally can go up pretty fast with just a little bit of failuring, that the PHI is being disposed unproperly (documents have a sensitive information, and we are just throwing the documents out of the window, instead of shredding, e.g.) 

Prevent: Create a policy for destruction of PHI that complies with HIPAA. Close Fixture (Tearperforation or Professional Shredder) Again, teach your workers how to maintain and discard physical and digital information.

Unencrypted Electronic Devices 

Improper use of Computers- Computers are used to store or access PHI and thus the misuse of computers is a common liability of a HIPAA violation. Loss or theft of device that leads to a data breach. Prevention: all electronic devices that store or access PHI should be encrypted Require two factor authentication and enforce strict password policies. Keep devices stored securely and report missing/hacked devices immediately.

Do Not Perform Risk Assessments 

Regular risk assessments can highlight where there will be potential risks in your environment and places where HIPAA violations can occur. Do not let yourself fall: On a regular basis, carry out risk assessments in order to detect and eliminate possible dangers. 

Document all that your risk assessment has revealed and how you responded to it. Keep your risk management plan current - Your risk management plan must be updated as possible risks increase and as status of the business changes.

Lack of Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) 

 You might use third-party vendors to perform functions using PHI if you are a small business. If your vendors are not properly trained or do not have appropriate Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), you are also liable.

Solution: Add vendorshave access to your PHI sign a BAA as a requirement of doing business with your practice. Ask your vendors to be HIPAA compliant as well. Watch and occasionally update your BAAs to ensure they are in line with what HIPAA requires today.

Unauthorized PHI Access 

One of the most prevalent HIPAA breaches is unauthorized access to PHI. Access must be retired to only the persons that requirement way of life necessary to assign their job responsibilities.

Prevention: Limit PHI access via role-based access controls. Regularly review access logs for unauthorized access. Modify access permissions to individuals who switch to/from roles when people leave the company.

Closing Remarks 

Maintaining HIPAA compliance for your small business is an ongoing commitment. By doing these six solutions for those frequent HIPAA violations (including those who failed to train staff, inadequate disposal of PHI, unencrypted electronic devices, not performing risk analysis, no business associate agreements, and subpar access controls), Small businesses could establish information security and keep the fines away. While keeping your small business in check with the rules of HIPAA helps keep you on the safe side, it also goes a long way to assure your clients and partners that you are a legitimate enterprise that strives for legitimacy. By embracing a preventative stance, and pledging to stay compliant, your small healthcare business will only benefit.