As cloud business solutions become more popular across various industries, there seems to be more questions than answers when it relates to HIPAA compliance. With the complexities of HIPAA rules and regulations, many healthcare providers are understandably uncertain as to whether they can use online cloud storage for their organization. It doesn’t help that there are various myths and misconceptions to confuse the topic even more. The reality is the cloud can be a viable solution for storing and accessing data, and your organization can still remain HIPAA compliant. We’ve answered a couple of the most common questions and dispelled some popular myths as well.
Question: Who Must Ensure Security in the Cloud?
If your organization works with a managed security service provider, you may think the provider is responsible for ensuring you remain HIPAA compliant. While these services play a large role in HIPAA compliance, the actual healthcare organization is ultimately responsible for any of the data available in the cloud. However, if you work closely with your managed security service provider, you can feel confident in the security.
Question: Does The Cloud Help or Hurt My HIPAA Compliance?
The simple answer to this question is online cloud storage neither helps nor hurts your HIPAA compliance. The key factors are how the data is transmitted, stored and handled. If these factors aren’t executed in accordance with HIPAA standards, then you could be facing violations. The cloud itself is not an issue when it comes to HIPAA regulations.
Myth: Cloud Providers Can’t Be Trusted
While it is the responsibility of the actual healthcare organization to be HIPAA compliant, it doesn’t mean providers offering cloud business solutions can’t be trusted. In fact, most of the HIPAA violations occur when employees accidentally misuse the cloud or are negligent in their practices. It’s up to the organization to provide training on how to use the cloud and remain HIPAA compliant, not cloud providers.
Myth: Managed Service Providers Are All The Same
When you use managed security services, you have to be diligent in your efforts to find the best provider for your organization. Look at the services they provide and the results delivered. No two providers are the same, and you definitely don’t want to go with the cheapest option. Paying less for these security services now could lead to hefty fines you don’t want to deal with later on. In other words, you get what you pay for when it comes to managed service providers.
Single Point of Contact knows the ins-and-outs of online cloud storage and cloud solutions in general. We want to ensure you remain HIPAA compliant, so we are diligent in our efforts to keep your data safe and secure in the cloud. Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any further questions about HIPAA compliance as it relates to the cloud, or if you are unsure about whether a statement you heard is a myth or a fact.
