What is HIPAA?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 standardized the electronic exchange of sensitive patient data to protect patients from unauthorized disclosure of their medical data. The internal procedures for privacy and security at hippa-compliant.com meet and exceed all HIPAA regulations related to Electronic Transmission of patient Information.
Medical Transcription Services
HIPAA Compliance Medical Transcription
What is the deadline for HIPAA compliance?
Healthcare organizations, insurers, and others who electronically store patient data and submit claims must comply with HIPAA regulations by April 14, 2003. Medical Transcription Service Organizations (MTSO) make use of electronic means to handle and store patient data, and medical transcription service organizations were expected to comply with the HIPAA requirements by April 14, 2003.
Healthcare organizations, insurers, and others who electronically store patient data and submit claims must comply with HIPAA regulations by April 14, 2003. Medical Transcription Service Organizations (MTSO) make use of electronic means to handle and store patient data, and medical transcription service organizations were expected to comply with the HIPAA requirements by April 14, 2003.
What are the important requirements of HIPAA for a medical transcription company?
Medical Transcription Service Organizations were expected to ensure the security and confidentiality of patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI). MTSOs were further required to maintain an audit trail of all individuals who accessed patient’s PHI. This necessitated the implementation of new technology and business processes to be ensured as the two key requirements by transcription service providers.
Medical Transcription Service Organizations were expected to ensure the security and confidentiality of patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI). MTSOs were further required to maintain an audit trail of all individuals who accessed patient’s PHI. This necessitated the implementation of new technology and business processes to be ensured as the two key requirements by transcription service providers.
What are the important requirements of HIPAA for a medical transcription company?
Medical Transcription Service Organizations were expected to ensure the security and confidentiality of patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI). MTSOs were further required to maintain an audit trail of all individuals who accessed patient’s PHI. This necessitated the implementation of new technology and business processes to be ensured as the two key requirements by transcription service providers..
Medical Transcription Service Organizations were expected to ensure the security and confidentiality of patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI). MTSOs were further required to maintain an audit trail of all individuals who accessed patient’s PHI. This necessitated the implementation of new technology and business processes to be ensured as the two key requirements by transcription service providers..
Can the Internet be used for medical transcription and still meet HIPAA requirements?
Any MTSO can meet HIPAA requirements using encryption and password protection, which prevents unauthorized access to PHI. Voice files recorded on portable recorders need to be encrypted before transmission over the Internet, but telephone dictations do not require encryption. Encrypted e-mail or a secure FTP site must be used to sent the transcribed documents to the healthcare provider, or the document may be faxed, but it must be accompanied by a disclaimer statement explaining its confidential nature.
Any MTSO can meet HIPAA requirements using encryption and password protection, which prevents unauthorized access to PHI. Voice files recorded on portable recorders need to be encrypted before transmission over the Internet, but telephone dictations do not require encryption. Encrypted e-mail or a secure FTP site must be used to sent the transcribed documents to the healthcare provider, or the document may be faxed, but it must be accompanied by a disclaimer statement explaining its confidential nature.
Can HIPAA regulations be met using tapes to record dictations?
Creating and verifying an audit trail of people who handled the tape or listened to the patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI) is very difficult. Tapes could be lost on transit, and in such a situation no one can guarantee security of PHI.
Creating and verifying an audit trail of people who handled the tape or listened to the patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI) is very difficult. Tapes could be lost on transit, and in such a situation no one can guarantee security of PHI.
Physical Security
The facilities of Hippa-compliant.com cannot be accessed by anyone except trained, cognizant, and authorized staff and entry is controlled by login key.
The facilities of Hippa-compliant.com cannot be accessed by anyone except trained, cognizant, and authorized staff and entry is controlled by login key.
Information Security
We use a firewall and filter on incoming ports. Only FTP and management ports can access into our system. A valid login-name and login-password controls access to our FTP server. Access to our FTP server by our clients is supported by SSL, and files are encrypted as they are sent across the Internet. No one who intercepts the data enroute will be in a position to decode or interpret it and we provide complete security to documents or sound files transferred to and from our server for our clients.
We use a firewall and filter on incoming ports. Only FTP and management ports can access into our system. A valid login-name and login-password controls access to our FTP server. Access to our FTP server by our clients is supported by SSL, and files are encrypted as they are sent across the Internet. No one who intercepts the data enroute will be in a position to decode or interpret it and we provide complete security to documents or sound files transferred to and from our server for our clients.
Desktop Access
Auto-logoff, ID/password protection, password-protected screensavers, and a security-enabled OS (WinXp) limit access to out network. Fully trained staff alone, for support and maintenance, has access to the server.
Auto-logoff, ID/password protection, password-protected screensavers, and a security-enabled OS (WinXp) limit access to out network. Fully trained staff alone, for support and maintenance, has access to the server.
ContinuityOur data storage and backup system hardware consists of two Intel Pentium 1.3 GHz server towers with 490 MB of RAM Memory and one 650 VA UPS, Inverter and all data is securely backed up on CD R or CD RW discs once a week. The system operates on the Windows NT platform. The operating software and digital voice software reside on two 80 GB mirrored hard drives, which provide full fault tolerance and total system redundancy. Only one of the server towers is in use at any particular time, thereby guaranteeing a second level of system redundancy as well as a readily accessible emergency parts inventory.
Privacy
Only those authorized by the originator of the dictation is provided access to a file on our system. We will not release any files directly to the patient, for we believe that the responsibility, which enables a patient to control his health records—access, disclosures, ‘minimum necessary’ standard, consent, authorization, and so on—is vested with the medical professional who initiated the document.
Only those authorized by the originator of the dictation is provided access to a file on our system. We will not release any files directly to the patient, for we believe that the responsibility, which enables a patient to control his health records—access, disclosures, ‘minimum necessary’ standard, consent, authorization, and so on—is vested with the medical professional who initiated the document.