The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requires all medical businesses to meet the standards for security as outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPAA). It’s the law and non-compliance can result in large fines. HIPAA compliance covers all areas of record keeping including devices – copiers, fax machines, printers, scanners and workstations.

In 2010 a major breach due to an oversight at Affinity Health Plan brought home the risks. Affinity failed to erase critical medical data from leased copiers before returning them at the lease’s end. As a result of this oversight, 330,000 records were compromised and Affinity was fined 1.2 million dollars by the DHHS as a result. Many practices and healthcare facilities do not realize the risk of exposure and liability.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when implementing HIPAA compliance. Consider the following:

  • Secure Access of All Devices – All print devices need to be kept secure and only accessible to authorized staff. Never leave documents unattended.
  • Remove and Erase Hard Drives – Today, most office devices have hard drives. Prior to retiring, replacing or returning them at the end of your lease, remove the drive and securely destroy your data. DO NOT sell or return a device with any data remaining. You can risk legal liability.
  • Audit Trails and Authenticating Users – Password protect workstations to prevent unauthorized access. Use PIN numbers, swipe cards or other identifiers to authorize users. Administrators should have audit trail capabilities to ensure compliance and prevent unauthorized access. All devices should have an auto-off feature.
  • Data Encryption and Removal – Any data stored on devices should be encrypted using SSL encryption. Your network should also be secured and data should be regularly removed and destroyed.

Failure to meet HIPAA compliance can result in large fines and legal liability. Is your company print environment HIPAA compliant? Give one of our team members a call. Let us show you how we can help!

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