Grand Technology Solutions Receives HIPAA Seal of Compliance!
After a three-month implementation project, we are delighted to announce that Grand Technology Solutions is now a HIPAA verified company and has received the HIPAA Seal of Compliance from the Compliancy Group (https://compliancy-group.com)! This means that GTS is now utilizing some of the best data protection solutions and security policies available on today’s market. Using the security standards that address protected health information (PHI), any and every business can benefit from all the airtight protections of a HIPAA-compliant security system – including yours!
What does it mean to be HIPAA-compliant?
“HIPAA compliance” is based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In 1996, this law went into effect to protect sensitive patient information as the healthcare industry began to “go digital.”
In the old days of physical prescription slips and handwritten doctors’ orders, medical industry security breaches were almost nonexistent. Today, however, we can video chat with doctors, receive a diagnosis, get a prescription sent directly to a pharmacy, and pick up medications without ever stepping foot in a doctor’s office. During every step of that digital process, sensitive patient data must be accessed, transmitted, and safely stored. The evolution of technology requires evolving security tactics.
HIPAA identifies the standards for data protection when it comes to sensitive patient data. HIPAA-compliant security systems rely on a streamlined collection of network, policy, and physical security measures to protect many types of data.
Who needs HIPAA-compliant security?
HIPAA is a requirement for businesses in the medical industry, like doctor’s offices and hospitals. The standards protect sensitive client information whenever payments, insurance, and other information (like treatment schedules, medication information, and past medical history) are accessed. This means that not only doctors and private practices need to be HIPAA-compliant, but their billing departments and insurance networks, and vendors need to be, too.
I don’t run a medical office or a law firm – why would my business need this type of security?
As a result of compliance requirements, HIPAA-level security has become and industry standard on its own. Law firms and CPAs can benefit from the kinds of security policies that are required by HIPAA.
Think about all the places sensitive client data pops up in day-to-day business. HIPAA-compliant security measures lock down things like:
- Emails and internal messaging systems
- Logins and accounts that access sensitive data or payment systems
- Downloads and uploads on specific servers (or of specific materials)
- Tiered restricted access to important data
- Payment information, like bank account or credit card numbers
- Clients’ personal information, like phone numbers, social security numbers, and home addresses
HIPAA compliance is not just for medical professionals: it’s a flexible, standards-based system that is applicable to any business in any industry. No matter your business niche, if you process payments, keep track of phone numbers, store critical data in cloud servers, or use the Internet to run your business, you can benefit from HIPAA-compliant security measures.
There are a lot of IT companies out there working with healthcare providers that require HIPAA compliance. If you’re one of those healthcare providers, ask your IT company if THEY are HIPAA compliant as well. You might be surprised by their answer.
Interested in learning more? Give us a call at (904) 606-6011 or email info@helpgts.com to get started. We’d be happy to introduce you to this exciting new option!
