Much has been written about all of the data security regulations surrounding HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, but what’s important to know is that if you work in healthcare or do business with any healthcare clients and need access to health data, HIPAA Security Rules apply to your organization. HIPAA calls for specific security protocols and safeguards for Protected Health Information (PHI). There are even limited uses and disclosures for this kind of PHI.
Failure to comply with HIPAA Privacy Rules can result in financial and criminal penalties, and claiming ignorance about HIPAA laws is not an accepted defense.
Under HIPAA, PHI refers to any health information that can be tied back to a specific person, including their name, geographic location, contact information, social security number, medical records, account numbers, and more.