Validation of compliance with HIPAA regulations is one of the important steps in evaluating the software solution in the healthcare industry. In this article we will consider the role of the data room in this sphere, and what software providers are HIPPA-certified.
Virtual data rooms in the healthcare industry
The medical profession has always worked with large amounts of data, which until recently were stored simply in archives and then on local servers within the organization. This was the main drawback of such systems – access to information was also possible locally, which is becoming more and more inconvenient, especially given the ever-increasing mobility of patients and the rapidly growing amount of information. All this has led to the fact that in many countries, there is a need to integrate modern technologies into the healthcare system. Over the past few years, the adoption of virtual systems in the healthcare industry has been gaining momentum.
Virtual data rooms are in demand in the medical market because they offer infrastructure that allows hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, and research organizations to improve their computing resources at low cost, and keep patient information secure.
Data room software can now help support IT-heavy healthcare technologies such as electronic health records, patient portals, and big data analytics that underpin modern decision support systems and therapeutic strategies. Cloud computing is changing the way clinical research is done, providing enhanced support for knowledge sharing and clinical trial management.
What is a HIPAA-certified data room?
Demand creates supply, so more and more medical assistant programs appear on the market that store and analyze arrays of patients’ personal information. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that the software guarantees security and does not cause any harm, and also complies with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
Confidentiality rules apply to organizations that mainly consist of healthcare institutions and medical professionals that transmit information about the patient’s condition in an electronic format. Organizations include almost all health and mental health professionals who serve hospitals or clinics or provide outpatient care, and other individuals or organizations that bill and receive payment for health care.
The HIPAA ensures the availability, portability, and renewability of individual health plans, and sets standards and methods for distributing medical data in the USA health care system to prevent fraud. Since 1996, HIPAA has been modified to include the processes of secure storage and exchange of patient medical information electronically. It also includes provisions on administrative simplification, which aim to increase efficiency and reduce administrative costs by setting national standards.
Under HIPAA rules, any software solution must include digital, physical, and managerial security measures, as well as continuous maintenance. The software package of most data room providers is based on the requirements of HIPAA. This ensures compliance with legal norms and requirements for the process of data collection, storage, and processing.
Following datarooms.fr,there is a list of the best-known data room vendors that have HIPAA certification:
- ShareVault
- iDeals
- Firmex
- Box
- Dropbox
- SecureDocs
- Ansarada
How do data rooms promote HIPAA compliance?
Data room vendors supply the following measures:
- Password credentials. Network administrators can also set password complexity requirements, define the minimum number of characters, set the maximum number of failed password attempts, and the maximum password usage time.
- Cryptographic protection. The products contain built-in data encryption, which provides users with an additional guarantee.
- String-based access control. Data room supports strict role-based access control to product features and stored data, allowing for explicit authorization to view, enter, or modify data records.