Data has become an essential component of working in the healthcare field. However, managing it properly is a high-stakes endeavor, as patient information is highly sensitive and, of course, protected by law. Organizations must have processes and tools that recognize the sensitivity of this information to stay compliant with HIPAA guidelines. Having the right tools is step one in ensuring compliance.
What is HIPAA compliance?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that upholds standards for preventing the sharing of private patient health information. HIPAA is one of the most well-known and often discussed topics in the medical industry, as patient information and data are valuable tools for ensuring quality care.
The three parts of HIPAA compliance requirements are:
- Privacy rule – Limits the disclosure of patient information.
- Security rule – Sets standards for managing electronic data securely.
- Enforcement & breach notification rules – Ensures that rules are upheld by all involved parties.
Organizations that uphold HIPAA compliance have careful standards for storing data, discussing patient information, and training staff.
Why is HIPAA compliance important?
HIPAA compliance is crucial for protecting patient information and defending patients against data breaches or privacy concerns. The transfer of private health information can come with several risks, so it is up to organizations to keep it safe.
A HIPAA privacy rule violation occurs when an organization or healthcare provider shares or improperly manages a patient’s protected health information. Other violations may include examples like improper training or including identifying information in patient correspondence.
HIPAA is important for:
- Health care providers
- Insurance companies
- Healthcare-associated businesses
- Software/app vendors
HIPAA compliance allows organizations to protect patients and stay within the confines of the law to avoid fines. Beyond healthcare, breach notification is also crucial for software and app vendors who collect protected health information (PHI) such as temperature, pulse, heart rate, blood sugar levels, etc. Altogether, protecting patient information while ensuring accurate data improves the experience for both patients and providers.
How Experian follows HIPAA compliance requirements
Organizations are under strict regulations when they handle patient data, and data management and data quality tools can help maintain compliance. Experian rises to the challenge by providing essential contact data quality tools that are HIPAA compliant without jeopardizing patient privacy.
HIPAA compliant address verification solutions
Mail is essential to the healthcare industry, and organizations want to ensure that medical bills and insurance information are sent to the correct recipient. Experian’s address verification tools can pinpoint the accuracy of an address down to the delivery point, ensuring that communications reach their target in a timely manner. Address data may also be used to verify a patient’s identity over the phone, so accuracy is essential.
HIPAA compliant phone verification solutions
Accurate phone numbers are a valuable resource for ensuring that organizations contact the correct person. Experian’s phone verification solutions assess the validity and accuracy of a phone number to determine whether a patient can be reached via phone. Our solutions can also detect whether a phone number is mobile or a landline, which allows a healthcare provider to determine whether they can contact a patient via call or text.
HIPAA compliant email verification solutions
Email is another important medium for contacting patients about private health information. Experian’s email verification tools ensure that email addresses are accurate and properly formatted so that organizations can adequately reach customers. Our tools also identify the most reliable email address using email append.
Master HIPAA privacy rules with Experian
HIPAA privacy rules are an essential part of working in the medical field. Experian ensures high-quality data while providing patient information verification tools that manage data securely so that organizations stay in compliance with HIPAA and patient information is protected.
Together data quality solutions instill trust in healthcare organizations’ data, providing peace of mind and the ability to better serve patients. Contact Experian to learn more about how our HIPAA compliant data quality services can improve the patient experience.
