Healthcare is an attractive target for cybercriminals because of the valuable personal data collected, such as citizen service numbers, medical history and insurance information. To ensure the privacy of this data, the U.S. HIPAA standard mandates the use of secure file-sharing systems. Although HIPAA is similar to the European GDPR, this law focuses specifically on protecting medical data. HIPAA-compliant systems are necessary to protect sensitive personal information (PII) and reduce the risk of data breaches.
What is HIPAA?
HIPAA, in full the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a U.S. privacy law enacted in 1996. The law establishes rules to protect sensitive personal and medical information and ensure confidential communications between patients and health care providers.
HIPAA provides guidelines for protecting individually identifiable health information, also known as Protected Health Information (PHI). Healthcare providers, health insurers and other entities that work with PHI must comply with this standard to ensure data privacy and security. Compliance with HIPAA is important not only to avoid legal problems, but also to maintain patient trust.
Why is HIPAA important?
HIPAA plays an important role in protecting medical data in the United States. It provides patients with control over their information and requires health care providers and others to handle data with care.
- Protecting patient data
HIPAA sets strict requirements for medical data security. This reduces the risk of data breaches and identity theft and ensures that patient information is properly protected.
- Patient privacy
Patients have control over who has access to their medical data. Only authorized parties may view or share it, which reinforces patient trust.
- Secure digital health care
As health information is shared digitally more frequently, HIPAA requires security measures such as encryption and access management to ensure that data remains protected.
- Compliance and liability
Healthcare organizations and their partners must prevent data breaches. Non-compliance with HIPAA can lead to heavy fines and legal consequences, so security is taken seriously.
- Trust in healthcare
HIPAA helps healthcare providers maintain patient trust, which is essential for long-term relationships between healthcare providers and patients.
- Patients' rights
Patients can view, correct or have their medical records deleted. This promotes transparency and gives patients more control over their own care.
How does FileCap help with HIPAA compliance?
FileCap provides a secure file and email sharing solution and helps organizations comply with HIPAA requirements and other privacy regulations such as GDPR. Some of the ways FileCap contributes to HIPAA compliance:
- ISO 27001 certification: reliable email security to international standards
- GDPR compliance: meets the requirements of the GDPR
- AES256 encryption: Strong encryption of files and messages
- End-to-end encryption: Protection of data both at rest and in transit
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Prevents data breaches by supporting policies with business rules
- TLS 1.3: Secure data connections.
- PBKDF2 function: reinforced password protection
- Multi-factor authentication: Additional layer of security for access
- Certified data centers: secure data storage
- User management: manage and control who has access to FileCap
- Secure chain: Let partners and customers securely share data with your organization through the FileCap invite feature
- Auditing and logging: accurately track data streams and activities
- User-friendly: Easy to install and use
- Revoke emails: Retain control of data during and after sending
FileCap: More than software
Complying with HIPAA becomes easier with FileCap thanks to reliable email protection and secure file transfers. Request a free demo or trial via our website or contact us to discuss the right solution for your organization.
