What Are the Most Common HIPAA Violations and How to Prevent Them
It's challenging to stay current on the most recent revisions and frequent violations due to the complexity and constant alteration of HIPAA standards. Your firm can better safeguard against instances of violations by making sure your team is well-trained on HIPAA compliance and is aware of the most common violations.
Below is the HIPAA compliance checklist and most common HIPAA violations
- Not protecting and encrypting data
The failure to adequately secure and encrypt data is arguably the most frequent HIPAA violation. This is due in part to the fact that there are numerous methods for this to occur.
Organizations occasionally make the error of assuming that encryption is optional since it is listed as “addressable” rather than “required.” Other instances, employee blunders and human error are the cause of breaches.
Solution: Your company can be effectively protected by encrypting data. A HIPAA breach only occurs when encrypted data is lost together with the encryption key.
Proper employee training is nearly completely responsible for preventing future breaches of this kind. All providers are required to train their workers on:
- Holding Unsecured Documents Including PHI
When things get hectic, it’s not uncommon for busy medical professionals to leave patient files or laptops unattended or unlocked. The HIPAA rules, which demand that all papers containing PHI be retained in a secured location at all times, could be broken by this, though.
Solution: Train your employee and staff to protect any kind of PHI data files by keeping them in secure place. Make sure that all paper documents containing PHI are locked (in file cabinets or offices, for example), and make sure that digital data are password-protected.
- Device Theft
Theft of devices is one of the most frequent ways that PHI is lost. Sensitive information on lost or stolen equipment from healthcare organisations is typically exploited in cybercrimes like medical fraud or identity theft. Mobile devices, computers, and USBs were the most often stolen items.
Solution: Healthcare facilities need to establish rules about preventing equipment theft.
4. Lack of Employee Training
It is critical that every employee who interacts with PHI receives complete training on HIPAA regulations and compliance. The HIPAA law mandates employee HIPAA training, so it is more than just a suggestion. All employees must receive thorough training on both the law and the specific policies and procedures established by your particular firm.
5. Information Released Without Authorization
The most frequent instance of this breach is when media personnel reveal PHI about famous people and public figures. It can also occur when medical staff unintentionally disclose PHI to family members, as only dependents and those with a Power of Attorney are permitted access to a family member’s PHI.