HIPAA and HITECH Compliant Website Design A website can catalyze a drastic positive change for any practitioner in the medical industry. Healthcare-related websites have been proven to cut costs, improve operational efficiency, increase patient quality care, extend geographic and numerical healthcare reach, and enhance the ability to seal medically related business contracts. However, any website with a direct or, through business agreements, indirect handling of PHIs must abide by HIPAA and HITECH compliance or face up to a $250,000 fine and 10 years in jail! In fact, Idaho State University was one business that failed its HIPAA requirements and the result was a $400,000 fine. It is pivotal that you review your website for full compliance with the HIPAA and HITECH acts as well as any other applicable law related to the electronic processing of PHIs and EHRs. Key Legislation and Terms for Medical Industry Websites EHR: stands for Electronic Health Record. EHRs are essential to the improvement of health care overall through insights gleaned from aggregate medical data. On an individual level, an EHR is meant to accurately capture the state of health of the patient at all times and provide immediate access to a full patient health history. ePHI: stands for electronic Protected Health Information. Any health information processed online or within a closed network that contains personal identifiers must adhere to strict privacy and security standards. HIPAA: stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. According to CMS.gov (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), HIPAA's purpose is to standardize electronic healthcare transactions and national identifiers for providers, health plans, and employers." Additionally, security requirements include in-depth auditing capabilities, data backup plans, and disaster recovery mechanisms. Non-compliance with privacy and security standards will result in penalties, which have increased under the Affordable Care and HITECH acts. If you have(or plan to have) a website that processes any kind of electronic medical information, it is highly recommended to HIPAA compliance website specialists. HITECH Act: Introduced in 2009, HITECH stands for Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health. This act expands the security and privacy requirements of original HIPAA requirements. This act also contains specific incentives to encourage the adoption and innovative use of the system. Adhering to HITECH and HIPAA will require HIPAA-compliant web hosting for your website. Patients must also be notified of any PHI breach or any release or compromise of unencrypted PHI data. Lastly, the HITECH Act extends HIPAA provisions directly to business associates. Thus, your website must comply with HIPAA if you have any contracts with healthcare providers or entities that process PHI. HIPAA and HITECH Website Compliance Checklist HIPAA and HITECH Website and Online Application Development Encrypted Medical (PHI, EHR) Data: Your healthcare website development team must ensure that data is encrypted at all times. This includes when PHI or EHR data is transmitted, archived, or stored. This will help you comply with HIPAA and HITECH online security standards. System for Security Breach Disclosure: Does your website have a plan for detecting a security breach and automatically notifying patients and business partners? Did patient portal development adhere to necessary laws? This is a great way to cover yourself in case of an accidental or malicious security breach. Encrypted Medical Data Backups and Quick Disposal: Ensure that your healthcare industry website has plans for encrypted data backups in case of an unforeseen data loss disaster. Failing to do so can result in you or your business being slapped with hefty penalties. In the same vein, it is required that your medical data possess the ability to be completely removed from any storage or server in which it is or was formerly contained Public Health Care Website Display of HIPAA Document: The display of the HIPAA policy for relevant health care websites is a requirement of HIPAA policy and also lets your patients know their private data is in good hands. HIPAA Privacy and Audit Officer: This responsibility ensures that your online medical industry practice maintains adherence to all state, local, and federal rules and regulations. Also, per HITECH requirements, this HIPAA officer can also ensure that your medical business website meets auditing standards. When it comes to developing a HIPAA and HITECH-compliant web application, it is essential to hire a vendor or agency with extensive development experience in the online medical field to ensure full compliance and the avoidance of penalties. Below is a multi-lingual, multi-portal, HIPAA-compliant website we designed for LDR, a global leader in spinal surgical products. Read more about their success story with Clarity here. Clarity has extensive experience designing healthcare websites and online patient portals. If you are thinking about building or redesigning your website to meet HIPAA and HITECH standards, give us a call today for a free consultation. No matter what you need—WordPress HIPAA, WooCommerce HIPAA eCommerce, or BigCommerce HIPAA integration—we can make it happen. Whether you need a website from scratch or are looking for HIPAA-compliant hosting, we can help you every step of the way. Get in touch today!