Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance requires organizations to follow specific physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect Protected Health Information (PHI). These safeguards are designed to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI, whether it is stored, transmitted, or processed.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards for the protection of individually identifiable health information. This rule applies to covered entities, such as healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses, as well as their business associates who handle PHI.
As the healthcare industry increasingly adopts digital tools like computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems, electronic health records (EHR), and systems for radiology, pharmacy, and laboratory information, HIPAA compliance has become more complex and critical. Organizations must ensure that these digital systems are secure and that PHI is protected from unauthorized access, breaches, and other risks.
