Are you conscious of GDPR compliance regulations? There’s nothing wrong if you’re not because GDPR is a complex and constantly changing piece of legislation. It’s all about data security by giving users the ability to control their personal data and ensuring secure storage of all digital data. Whether you’re starting out with GDPR, or want to know more about what it requires from organizations around the world.
HIPAA and GDPR are two terms that health care providers and companies that handle personal data should be familiar with. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is an US law that governs the disclosure and use of patient’s personal health information. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a law of the European Union (EU) that applies to all businesses that handle personal information that are the property of EU residents. While these regulations may have different scopes however, they have a common goal: protecting the security and privacy of personal data.
The reason HIPAA and GDPR Compliance are Important
Many reasons make compliance with HIPAA/GDPR is crucial. First, it shields sensitive data from unauthorised access and disclosure, as well as misuse and alteration. For instance, healthcare organizations handle sensitive medical information that could be used to perpetrate identity theft or fraud. Businesses that handle personal data including names, addresses and email addresses, are subject to GDPR. This applies whether the information is used for identity theft, fraud, or phishing.
The regulations are legally obligatory. HIPAA regulations apply to covered entities , such as health plans, healthcare providers and healthcare clearinghouses. HIPAA violations could lead to criminal and civil penalties and damage to the image of health providers. All businesses that process personal information of EU residents are subject to GDPR, regardless of where they are located. Infractions could result in severe fines or legal actions.
These regulations are important in helping build trust between customers and patients. Patients and customers expect their personal data to be handled with respect and security. In compliance to HIPAA and GDPR regulations can show that a company values data privacy and security seriously and is dedicated to safeguarding personal data.
HIPAA and GDPR Compliance Important Requirements
There are numerous requirements in HIPAA and GDPR regulations that businesses have to be aware of. HIPAA mandates that covered organizations ensure the security, integrity accessibility, confidentiality, and integrity of protected health information stored electronically (ePHI). This involves implementing physical technical and administrative safeguards that protect ePHI from unauthorized access to, use, or disclosure. For security breaches that could lead to incidents, all covered entities should have procedures and policies in place.
GDPR requires that individuals give explicit consent for businesses to collect and processing their personal data. Consent must be granted clearly, completely written in writing, and specific. The GDPR demands that companies offer individuals the right access, rectify and erase their personal data. Businesses must also take the necessary technical and organizational steps to secure personal data.
HIPAA Compliance as well as GDPR Best practices for compliance
Business should employ best practices to protect personal data as well as comply with HIPAA regulations. Some best practices include:
Risk assessments should be conducted frequently by companies to evaluate the security, the integrity, confidentiality, availability as well as security of personal data. This can help you identify potential issues and ensure that appropriate security measures are in place.
Access controls Limits on access: Only authorized employees should have access to personal information. It is possible to use strong passwords, multifactor authentication and access controls founded on the principle of least privilege.
Training employees: Employees should be taught about data privacy. This can prevent accidental and malicious data security breaches.
Incident response strategies should be adopted by businesses in order to deal with security breaches and incidents. This can include selecting a response group, establishing communication protocols, and regularly conducting drills.
For companies that process personal data, HIPAA Compliance and GDPR Compliance is essential. These laws safeguard sensitive information from disclosure and access that is not authorized and misuse and show an interest in data security and privacy. Through implementing best practices such as conducting risk assessment and implementing access control measures or training for employees, as well as creating incident response plans to be sure that they are in compliance and ensure that their information is protected
For more information, click GDPR compliance