Are you current on GDPR compliance regulations If not, you’re fine. but it could be a little daunting since GDPR is an incredibly complex and continually evolving law. It’s all about data protection. This means giving customers control over personal information and ensuring safe storage of data. You can find out more about GDPR from other organizations or even start by reading about it.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and GDPR (Global Data Protection Regulations) are two words that healthcare professionals and companies that handle personal data should be familiar with. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a US law that governs the disclosure and use of patient’s health information. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a regulation by the European Union (EU) that is applicable to all companies handling personal data that are the property of EU residents. While the regulations might differ in their scope however they all have the same goal: protecting the privacy and security of personal data.
Important Reasons to be HIPAA and GDPR compliant
In many ways, the compliance with HIPAA/GDPR requirements is vital. First, it safeguards sensitive information from unauthorised access and disclosure, as well as misuse and modification. Healthcare providers, for instance manage sensitive medical information that could be used for identity fraud or medical theft. Businesses that handle personal details like addresses, names and email addresses, are bound by GDPR. This applies regardless of whether the data is used to aid in identity theft, fraud or phishing.
The second requirement is that the regulations must be adhered to. HIPAA regulations apply to covered entities like health insurance companies, healthcare providers as well as healthcare clearinghouses. HIPAA violations could result in civil penalties, criminal charges and damage to a healthcare provider’s reputation. The GDPR also applies to all businesses handling personal information of EU residents, regardless of the business’s physical location. Infractions could result in severe fines or legal action.
In the end, ensuring compliance with these regulations can help increase trust between patients and customers. Patients and patients are concerned about security and privacy when dealing with their personal data. Compliance to HIPAA and GDPR regulations could be a sign that a business takes data privacy and security seriously and is dedicated to safeguarding personal data.
HIPAA and GDPR Compliance Essential Requirements
It is important for businesses to be aware that HIPAA regulations as well as GDPR regulations contain many rules. HIPAA obliges covered organizations to ensure confidentiality, integrity access, and security of electronic protected health information (ePHI). This involves implementing physical technical and administrative safeguards in order to safeguard ePHI against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Covered entities must also have policies and procedures implemented to handle potential security incidents and breaches.
Businesses must seek explicit consent from individuals to process and collect their personal data in accordance with GDPR. Consent should be freely given explicit and informing. It shouldn’t be unclear. Businesses must also provide individuals with access to their personal data to correct and erase them under GDPR. The business must also adopt suitable organizational and technical measures to ensure the security and integrity of personal information.
HIPAA and GDPR Compliance Best Practices
To ensure compliance with HIPAA and GDPR regulations, companies must follow best practices to ensure the privacy and security of personal data. These are some of the most effective practices:
Risk assessments must be conducted regularly by businesses to assess the threat to integrity, confidentiality, accessibility and security of personal information. This can help you recognize security weaknesses and establish the appropriate safeguards.
Access controls: Only authorized employees should have access to personal information. You can use strong passwords such as multifactor authentication and access controls that are built on the principle of least privilege.
Employees in training: Employees should be regularly trained on security and privacy of data. This could help to prevent accidental and deliberate data breach.
Incident response plans must be implemented by businesses to handle security breaches and incidents. This involves identifying a response group, establishing communication protocols and conducting regular drills.
HIPAA and GDPR compliance is crucial for businesses handling personal data. These regulations are intended to safeguard sensitive data from improper access, disclosure or misuse. They also display an interest in data security and privacy. Businesses can implement the best practices, for example, conducting risk assessments, using access control, training employees, and establishing incident response plans to ensure compliance with these rules.
For more information, click HIPAA compliance
