There are many health care app businesses who do not know whether they need to be HIPAA compliant or not. HIPAA compliance is required when an application contains protected health information. The rules of HIPAA healthcare app development are applicable on the Business Associates as well as Covered Entities. If you are a healthcare service provider – a doctor, a clinic, a psychologist or an insurance company etc., you are a Covered Entity. If you are a business developing a healthcare app or any other technology platform, then you are a Business Associate.
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What is Protected Health Information?
If the application you develop shares personal health information of the patients with doctors or any other covered entities, it comes under PHI and the app then needs to be HIPAA compliant. If this information stays in the app and not shared the, you need not be HIPAA compliant.
The Privacy Rule in HIPAA
The HIPAA privacy rule was issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The rule provides for rights of privacy for individuals to control how their health information is being used. It also restricts the use and disclosure of individual health information by Covered Entities.
Any individual can freely file a complaint to the Office of Civil Rights, in case of any misuse of personal health information or violation of HIPAA. Such violation, if found true would attract civil penalties.
The HIPAA Compliant Healthcare App Development Rules
1. Features must be added in the application, to protect the customer health information
2. The use and sharing of protected health information must be limited to a basic level
3. Business Associates must have agreements with service providers regarding the use of personal health information of customers.
4. The app must have features to control who can access the patient health information and penalties for violators.
Is there a Certificate for HIPAA Compliance?
There is no certification of HIPAA compliance healthcare app development. The organisation has to decipher on its own, about being HIPAA compliant or not.
The Main Requirements For HIPAA Compliance
1. Admin Requirement: This law pertains to the management of staff handling protected health information. The staff needs to be trained and briefed about HIPAA and how the Protected Health Information has to be safeguarded.
2. Technical Security: This law pertains to encryption, decryption and technical data security. This also includes audit controls and emergency access procedures.
3. Physical Security: This law pertains to the security of data. This also includes data failure and redundancy requirements.
PixelCrayons provides its clients with well strategised and HIPAA compliant healthcare app development. The company provides consulting, design and development solutions for a wide range of healthcare apps. The expert teams at PixelCrayons ensure that your outsourcing decision brings you extraordinary results for your business.
