One major advantage of cloud computing is the ability to leverage huge amounts of cloud storage on demand. When you choose a HIPAA Compliant Hosting Provider like Atlantic.Net, you get Cloud Storage that meets and exceeds the complex requirements of HIPAA-Compliance. (more…)

A hosting service provider may tend to focus more on standardized packages or on its ability to customize and provide highly specialized service on a case-by-case basis. When a provider is known for its central attention to customization and creating unique systems to meet the challenges of organizations one at a time, they will often have to find ways to problem-solve sophisticated technical issues of their clients.

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Encryption is fundamentally important to meeting the guidelines of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Encryption is critical to meeting HIPAA compliance because encryption cloaks your most sensitive data from unauthorized viewing. This digital process uses standardized protocols to scramble all the data that is transmitted by a user into a code that makes it undecipherable. In other words, the encrypted information is unreadable to any computer peering (accessing it) between the source and destination. Only the person sending the message and the one receiving it can see what is being communicated. In order to decrypt the information back into readable information, digital tools called keys are needed. Keys let the sender and receiver see the data and, afterwards, encrypt it again so that no one else can see it. (more…)

Regardless of the application, any efforts to maintain HIPAA compliance are directed at the same core concern – safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information (ePHI). The technological setup will vary considerably based on the size and complexity of the organization. (more…)

Secure file transfer protocol (SFTP), a component of the secure shell (SSH) protocol, is useful in maintaining compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). SFTP uses encryption and algorithmic hash functions to protect information from unintended viewing or theft, and is considered a best-practice way to securely send files.

Like other standard protocols and technologies that are deployed to maintain HIPAA-compliant security, SFTP is not required specifically by the agency that regulates it, the Department of Health and Human Services. (The HHS regulates the law flexibly, allowing organizations to make their own specific decisions on means.) While you certainly do not have to use SFTP in order to stay compliant, it is a standard and straightforward way to meet the need for secure HIPAA file transfer. (more…)

You may see natural disasters on TV or read about them but not completely understand the vulnerability associated with this issue. Actually, the risk is almost throughout the industry.

More than half of organizations (58%) are not ready for a major loss of data. Actually, the extent to which firms are unprepared is very worrisome: 60% will go bankrupt within 6 months, according to data from Washington, DC-based research firm Clutch. Also according to the statistics compiled by Clutch, cloud backup is on the rise, with:

• 84% of the organizations that have already adopted cloud backup having implemented both on-premises and cloud backups;
• 68% of cloud backup business customers testing their backups at least once per month; and
• 78% of small businesses planning to use cloud-hosted backup by 2020.

To set aside the specific technology of cloud backup, the need for disaster recovery is clear from the data on the business impact of large data losses. Since it is possible to have a disaster completely take you by surprise, and to in turn lose thousands or millions operationally and economically, it is a basic business need to have a disaster recovery plan implemented. (more…)

Global membership associations must find ways to strategically operate their infrastructure and provide services. Often, such strategic operation involves managed hosting. Managed hosting can be understood in contrast to unmanaged hosting. It can also be understood as one of the various services provided through a host’s role as a managed services provider (MSP). By looking at other core services provided by MSPs, we also get a sense of the services that are often included in managed hosting environments. (more…)

If you’ve been charged with implementing a HIPAA-compliant database and it’s your first time building a system that adheres to the healthcare law, you may feel overwhelmed and confused about where to start. The first step is to focus your efforts so you can move forward systematically in creating one. The below considerations will allow you to establish a database and protect it over time.

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While counseling and coaching services may seem to fall outside of the realm of traditional healthcare, they often fall squarely in the realm of mental health and are therefore subject to HIPAA requirements. Knowing whether these services fall under HIPAA regulations can be tricky, and it’s important to understand your responsibilities in protecting patient health information (PHI).

Below, we explore HIPAA compliance requirements for mental health services, such as coaching and counseling, and how you can ensure compliance. (more…)

File sharing is crucial to the ability to leverage the cloud and to safeguard files while controlling and sharing them. It also makes it possible for your personnel to be able to get to their files wherever they are.

For healthcare organizations looking to adopt a file sharing service, the most important consideration is to select a service that prioritizes the security that is necessary to deliver HIPAA compliance. Two of the prominent file sharing options for general storage are Microsoft OneDrive for Business and Google Drive. However, when using a third party to file sharing for your healthcare organization, it means that you are placing trust in a business associate to protect highly confidential and sensitive patient data – you need to be able to maintain HIPAA compliance. (more…)