In any healthcare mobile application, the data security of the users is a crucial feature. The users fill out various data, such as their personal details, contact information, and even bank credentials for automatic payments. Not having a proper security system will mean risking the privacy and security of the users. In the article on how to create a health app, Riseapps highlights that the best choice for such development is Python language. Yet, you still want to learn more about HIPAA.
HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This is an act that protects the data of the users who are using healthcare software. The service providers who are the owners of the applications should ensure that the apps have met HIPAA compliance. They should also make sure that the vendors with whom they are dealing with the app also have HIPAA compliance.
How to Achieve HIPAA Compliance?
If you are wondering how to create a health app, the first thing you should pay attention to is HIPAA compliance. To achieve HIPAA compliance, a company needs to follow rules, directives and get to know elements of HIPAA.
The Security Rule:
The prime point that you need to adhere to is the HIPAA rules. There are several rules under several categories that you should follow.
- Technical safeguards that comprise network encryption, control access, encryption of devices, and so on.
- Rules for controlling facility access under physical safeguards, managing workstations, protecting mobile, and tracking servers.
- Certain administrative safeguards are risk assessment, training staff, risk management, building and testing contingencies, blocking unauthorized access, and documenting all security incidents.
- Privacy rules to follow are responding promptly, privacy training, getting authority, updating copy, and others.
- Other rules are of Breach notification rule and omnibus rule.
It is mandatory to understand these rules strictly for getting into compliance.
Five Directives of HIPAA
Here are the most essential five HIPAA directives that you need to follow to get compliance after understanding the rules.
- The first directive focuses on accessibility and portability rules. It also focuses on the renewal of health insurance schemes and similar other factors.
- The second directive is all about the rules on privacy, security, and enforcement.
- The healthcare-related tax rules are there mentioned in the third directive.
- The fourth directive offers protection to individuals in regards to the insurance law.
- This last directive deals with the handling of the income tax of the company.
The HIPAA compliance is made up of these essential directives that the companies have to follow.
Elements of HIPAA
Apart from the directives, five HIPAA elements have to be understood and taken care of.
- NPI: NPI or the National Provider Identifier is a ten-digit number provided to the companies getting into compliance with HIPAA.
- Privacy Standard Code: This code has to be used in the EDI or the electronic data interchange.
- Privacy Rule: This is shorthand of all the privacy rules ensuring that the company will protect the app users’ privacy.
- Security Rule: Like the privacy rule, this again confirms that the company will cover the user data’s security.
- Enforcement Rule: This ensures that in the case of any violation, as per law, investigations can be done against the company.
Following all the steps can be a daunting task at times. Hence, most of the service providers prefer to get help from an expert in such a case.
The Right Expert
While searching for the best experts, getting someone to help get HIPAA compliance too smoothly is essential. It is vital to check these crucial factors in the experts in such a case.
- Run thorough research on the vendor, whether the vendor has BAA compliance or not.
- Do not forget to run the vendor’s performance assessment before getting the service.
- Before signing any document, indeed, go through all the points very carefully.
For your comfort, here is a HIPAA compliance checklist with examples.
Conclusion
When searching for healthcare app developers, HIPAA compliance comes out to be an essential point. If the application is not compliant with HIPAA, the U.S. health department can authoritatively take action against it. Hence, it is necessary to know the right ways and procedures to get HIPAA compliance.
One of the best tasks in such a situation is getting in touch with an expert who can develop the app and help you get HIPAA compliance.