Most organizations operating in the U.S. healthcare industry are required to comply with the regulations defined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), passed by Congress in 1996. Companies must meet multiple standards and implement various safeguards regarding the processing of patient data to achieve HIPAA compliance. Failure to maintain HIPAA compliance can result in costly legal and financial penalties, as well as potentially long-term negative publicity. Healthcare organizations face potential financial penalties for non-compliance with HIPAA, which can range from $100 to $50,000 per violation.

Some businesses address these requirements with an on-premises data center and in-house technical skills. However, in many cases, companies opt for the best HIPAA-compliant and best HIPAA-compliant web hosting services to meet healthcare data privacy and security criteria. This path is very attractive to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that may lack the resources or experience to achieve compliance. Selecting a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider is a critical decision that impacts the security of patient data.

This article examines why your business may be subject to HIPAA regulatory compliance. We discuss the features companies should look for when selecting a HIPAA-compliant cloud hosting provider such as Atlantic.Net. Our discussion concludes with reviews by reputable third parties that illustrate Atlantic.Net’s quality and the thoroughness of its HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions.

Why Does a Company Need HIPAA Compliant Hosting?

Companies must comply with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules if they process or store protected health information (PHI) or electronic protected health information (ePHI) (also referred to as electronic patient health information). Organizations can be defined as a covered entity or a business associate, based on their role in handling patient data.

What is PHI and ePHI?

PHI is any individually identifiable health information concerning a person’s health, care, or payment. PHI typically includes data about a patient’s health status, the medical care they receive, and how they paid for that care. This information must be accompanied by identifiers such as the patient’s name, Social Security number, addresses, and dates to qualify as PHI and be protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

ePHI is a subset of PHI that is processed or stored electronically. It is protected by both the Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule. Companies handling ePHI must provide all employees and contractors with security awareness training and implement measures to meet the following safeguards defined in the Security Rule.

Administrative safeguards

These safeguards are designed to manage the security necessary to protect ePHI. They include:

  • Implementing risk analysis and management processes;
  • Engaging in proactive security monitoring;
  • Designating a HIPAA security focal to oversee compliance activities;
  • Providing workforce security awareness training;
  • Developing data backup and disaster recovery plans;
  • Defining role-based access controls;
  • Implementing incident investigation and breach notification procedures;
  • Entering into business associate agreements (BAAs) with partners.

Physical safeguards

Regulators developed these physical safeguards to protect the environment in which sensitive patient data is processed or stored.

  • Facility access controls are required to restrict unauthorized entities from accessing ePHI.
  • Companies must implement workstation use and security guidelines to protect equipment storing ePHI.
  • Teams must develop device and media controls to track assets and securely dispose of obsolete data.

Technical safeguards

The technical safeguards required by the Security Rule protect the systems that process ePHI. They include:

  • Access controls such as unique user identification, data encryption, and role-based authorization;
  • Audit controls that provide immutable audit trails and activity logs;
  • Authentication of all entities accessing ePHI;
  • Integrity controls to identify unauthorized data modification;
  • Protecting the transmission of ePHI from attacks by threat actors.

Covered entities and business associates

Organizations subject to HIPAA compliance standards are categorized as either a covered entity or a business associate.

Covered entities (CEs) are the primary custodians of PHI and are directly regulated by HIPAA. They create, receive, maintain, or transmit patient data while providing healthcare or health benefits. Covered entities include:

  • Healthcare providers such as hospitals, physicians, clinics, and labs;
  • Health plans and insurers;
  • Healthcare clearinghouses that process health data, such as billing services.

Business associates (BAs) provide services involving PHI on behalf of covered entities. They may create PHI, but not directly for treatment or care. Examples of business associates include:

  • Cloud hosting providers;
  • Managed service providers;
  • Managed services;
  • Claims processing services;
  • Medical coders and transcribers;
  • Backup and disaster recovery vendors.

Both CEs and BAs are liable for HIPAA compliance. CEs enter into business associate agreements with BAs to define compliance responsibilities and risk management.

A crucial aspect of HIPAA compliance is the shared responsibility model between hosting providers and covered entities.

Key Features of HIPAA Compliant Hosting Providers

Healthcare organizations and businesses in the role of covered entity may decide to leverage a HIPAA-compliant hosting solution rather than rely on their in-house capabilities. They must ensure HIPAA compliance by working with reputable providers like Atlantic.Net. The company has over 30 years of experience with cloud hosting services, and has offered HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions since Congress enacted the regulations. Many providers offer compliance services to help organizations meet regulatory standards such as HIPAA and HITECH Act security standards, including technical controls, audits, and risk assessments. Some providers also support HIPAA eligible services, such as those offered by major cloud platforms, which are covered under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for processing Protected Health Information (PHI). The cost of HIPAA-compliant hosting can vary significantly based on the services and resources required.

The following are key features prospective customers should look for in a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider.

Business associate agreements

The provider must be willing to sign a business associate agreement with a covered entity. Lack of a BAA is a HIPAA violation, and clients should walk away from vendors unwilling to enter into the agreement. Atlantic.Net’s BAAs meet all HIPAA regulations and demonstrate their willingness to exceed the minimum compliance standards. They serve as a trusted partner to CEs and are committed to the customer’s best interest.

HIPAA-compliant data centers

The selected vendor must operate data centers that meet all HIPAA guidelines. Healthcare technology systems and ePHI must be protected by controlled access to the data center and supported by 24/7 on-site personnel. The data center should be equipped with surveillance capabilities, offer HIPAA compliance monitoring, and furnish audit trails. Providers demonstrate compliance with HIPAA standards through SOC 2, ISO 27001, or similar audits.

Regular data backups, both onsite and offsite backups, are required to ensure data recovery in case of a breach or failure. Offsite backups are especially important for HIPAA compliance, as they provide secure, remote storage of sensitive data in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Atlantic.Net provides its customers with a world-class data center infrastructure featuring 24/7/365 support and monitoring. Their experts can help you achieve compliance quickly with a range of certifications, including SOC 2, SOC 3, and HITECH.

Meeting security rule safeguards

It is essential that the selected hosting services comply with all security rule safeguards for the handling of ePHI. Customers must be confident that the provider follows all guidelines required to protect ePHI. Using a HIPAA-compliant server is a critical component of a secure, regulated hosting environment, as it ensures that technical and administrative controls are in place to safeguard sensitive health information. The hosting provider must implement the following crucial measures.

  • Protected data must be encrypted in transit and at rest. This protection includes full-disk encryption for storage devices and encrypted backups to eliminate the chance of data breaches.
  • The provider must support activity logging that enables teams to investigate security-related events. Logs need to be retained to meet HIPAA requirements with immutable log storage to preserve tamper-proof audit evidence.
  • Vendors must protect ePHI with dedicated or isolated networks and environments to meet HIPAA single-tenancy requirements. Network access must be controlled via firewalls and micro-segmentation. Intrusion detection and prevention solutions should be implemented to identify threat actors quickly. The provider’s technical teams should perform patch and vulnerability management to maintain robust security.
  • The hosting environment must enforce user authorization and accountability by assigning unique identifiers, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), privileged access logging, and role-based access controls. HIPAA forbids the use of shared admin accounts.
  • Providers must maintain a formal incident response program that includes notification and escalation workflows. The BAA may require the provider to handle breach reporting procedures. All response activities must be logged, retained, and auditable.

Backup and disaster recovery services

Customers should expect a HIPAA-compliant hosting provider to protect their ePHI with encrypted off-site backups, preferably with geographic redundancy options for enhanced resiliency. The vendor must have documented disaster recovery plans that meet the customer’s recovery point and time expectations. Teams should regularly test disaster recovery procedures to ensure they support business continuity.

Comprehensive documentation

Prospective providers should be able to supply customers with a BAA template that can be tailored to both parties’ satisfaction. Certification, such as SOC 2 reports, must be available to demonstrate their ability to provide a HIPAA-compliant environment. Additional documentation, such as penetration testing summaries and HIPAA compliance mapping, is an indication of a responsible partner.

Tailored HIPAA hosting solutions

Your provider should offer a range of HIPAA-compliant services tailored to your unique business needs. While some companies may need a complete HIPAA-compliant environment, others may process ePHI in ways that require a less comprehensive solution. A flexible provider, such as Atlantic.Net, has a variety of HIPAA-compliant solutions to fit your company’s requirements. Managed HIPAA hosting helps reduce the internal IT burden for healthcare organizations by handling security patching and compliance monitoring.

The following are examples of our tailored solutions designed to protect ePHI and ensure your HIPAA compliance.

  • HIPAA-compliant web hosting options, such as our WordPress hosting, provide customers with turn-key compliance for their WordPress websites.
  • HIPAA-compliant website hosting ensures your site meets HIPAA security and privacy standards for PHI.
  • HIPAA-compliant email services offer secure, encrypted communication and support for e-PHI.
  • HIPAA-compliant database hosting supports enterprise MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server systems.
  • Windows and Linux HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions support all versions of Windows Server and a wide range of Linux distros, including FreeBSD, Arch Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, and Oracle.
  • HIPAA-compliant cloud solutions leverage secure cloud servers for scalable, compliant hosting environments, with physical, administrative, and technical safeguards in place.
  • Our servers can be used as a HIPAA-compliant application platform for customers’ healthcare-related SaaS products.
  • HIPAA-compliant hosting powers healthcare technology systems by providing secure, compliant infrastructure that supports healthcare workflows and protects PHI.

HIPAA Compliant Cloud Hosting

HIPAA compliant cloud hosting is a critical solution for healthcare organizations that need to securely store, process, and manage electronic protected health information (ePHI) in the cloud. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), any cloud hosting provider that handles sensitive patient data must adhere to strict security and privacy standards. This includes signing a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with each client, which legally binds the provider to safeguard protected health information in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

Leading cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud offer HIPAA compliant cloud hosting solutions tailored to the unique needs of healthcare organizations. These platforms deliver robust security features, including advanced encryption, access controls, and continuous compliance monitoring, to ensure that sensitive patient data remains protected at all times. By leveraging HIPAA compliant cloud hosting, healthcare organizations can benefit from scalable infrastructure, high availability, and disaster recovery capabilities, all while maintaining full compliance with the Accountability Act.

Choosing a HIPAA compliant cloud hosting partner allows healthcare providers to focus on delivering quality care, knowing that their electronic protected health information is managed in a secure, compliant environment. Whether you are migrating existing systems or building new healthcare applications, working with a provider that will sign a business associate agreement and offer comprehensive compliance support is essential for meeting regulatory requirements and protecting patient trust.

HIPAA Compliant Hosting and Data Transmission

Secure data transmission is a cornerstone of HIPAA compliant hosting, ensuring that electronic protected health information (ePHI) remains confidential and protected as it moves across networks. HIPAA compliant hosting providers implement industry-standard protocols such as HTTPS and SFTP to encrypt patient data in transit, preventing unauthorized interception or tampering. These secure protocols are essential for healthcare organizations that need to transmit sensitive information between systems, locations, or third-party partners.

In addition to encryption, HIPAA compliant hosting providers deploy robust access controls, including firewalls and intrusion detection systems, to safeguard protected health information during transmission. Continuous monitoring and real-time alerting help identify and respond to potential security incidents, while comprehensive reporting procedures ensure that any breaches are promptly addressed in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

By choosing a hosting provider that prioritizes secure data transmission, healthcare organizations can confidently exchange ePHI, knowing that their patient data is protected every step of the way. This commitment to compliant hosting not only supports regulatory compliance but also reinforces patient trust in the organization’s ability to safeguard their most sensitive information.

HIPAA Compliant Hosting and Access Controls

Effective access controls are fundamental to HIPAA compliant hosting, providing healthcare organizations with the tools needed to restrict and monitor access to electronic protected health information (ePHI). HIPAA compliant hosting providers implement secure login and authentication procedures, such as unique usernames, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication, to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive patient data.

Role-based access controls further enhance security by limiting data access based on an individual’s job function or responsibilities within the organization. This approach minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and helps healthcare organizations maintain strict oversight of who can view or modify protected health information.

To support ongoing compliance, HIPAA compliant hosting providers maintain detailed audit logs and access reports, enabling organizations to monitor user activity and quickly identify any suspicious behavior. These monitoring and reporting procedures are essential for demonstrating compliance with HIPAA regulations and for responding effectively to potential security incidents.

By partnering with a HIPAA compliant hosting provider that prioritizes robust access controls, healthcare organizations can ensure that their patient data remains secure, confidential, and accessible only to those with a legitimate need—helping to meet regulatory obligations and protect patient privacy.

Why Choose Atlantic Net as Your HIPAA Compliant Hosting Partner?

Atlantic.Net provides all the features previously discussed to ensure HIPAA compliance for your business. We have over 30 years of experience in providing customers with HIPAA-compliant services. All of our solutions feature HIPAA-compliant cloud storage and cloud servers. We offer dedicated servers and cloud-based compliant hosting services with a 100% uptime SLA.

Here’s what some reviewers have to say about our HIPAA-compliant solutions.

  • The Silicon Review: “Atlantic.Net’s compliance hosting platform is purpose-built for ePHI from the ground up, rather than offering HIPAA eligibility as one configuration option among many. Their infrastructure includes SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 Type II certified systems validated through independent third-party audits of their data center facilities.”
  • HIPAA HQ: “Atlantic.Net excels in all categories when it comes to HIPAA Compliant Hosting, including hosting your data in their private data centers from the start. If you need enterprise caliber features and service, with pricing that fits your budget, Atlantic.Net should be at the top of your list if you need a HIPAA Compliant Hosting Provider.”
  • HostAdvice: “Atlantic.Net caught my eye because they offer everything from powerful GPU servers to strict HIPAA-compliant hosting, a rare mix in one place. I thoroughly explored their sign-up process, dashboard, and performance to understand how they serve both newcomers and experienced users. What stood out was a platform that’s powerful but user-friendly, offering features suited for a wide range of demanding tasks.”
  • Customer testimonial: “As our reliable Healthcare IT compliance partner for the past ten years, Atlantic.Net continues to deliver advanced IT architectural design and security guidance and support to CHS. With their flexible, customized solutions and high touch approach, we look forward to continuing to grow and work with this distinguished team of professionals “

Get in touch with our team of experts today and start protecting your ePHI with a tailored HIPAA-compliant hosting solution.