Although computers have been around for many decades, the electronic age didn’t take hold until the 90s. At that point, Google began to revolutionize the way we search for information, and electronic sharing of information started to be more than just a few casual emails exchanged. People and companies began to see the ease and accessibility of storing and sharing documents and detailed information on virtual files instead of bulky, outdated files inside old, outdated filing cabinets.
Soon medical providers began feeling the nudge, and sometimes push, to move towards electronic storing and sharing of patient information. Imagine the possibilities of an interconnected electronic health record (EHR). People no longer have to remember details of the procedures done by the orthopedist while visiting the primary care physician two months later. The emergency room doctor can look up new AMA stroke procedures for lifesaving information and doctors can monitor pain medication prescriptions—no matter which practice the patient is seeking care at. Even more helpful, if you are away on vacation—far away from home—and you have an accident, the attending doctor can access all of your medical history to treat you in an efficient and safe manner.
The general consensus is that EHRs are a positive change in the healthcare industry.
However, there are a few concerns that people had in the beginning:
- How are these EHRs are protected from those who should not see them?
- What happens if there is a security breach?
- How are the records safely transferred and accessed?
- Who can see what records?
These questions are what led to the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act, otherwise known as HIPAA.
HIPAA
In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed HIPAA into law. As the first law to address the storage, use, and transfer of personal health records, this act changed the way people look at electronic health records and how healthcare providers handle them.
Privacy is paramount when fulfilling the regulations within HIPAA.
The documentation and compliance rules ensure the following:
- The patient information and use is controlled by the patient.
- The standards for privacy and compliance are the same all across the nation.
- Personal health information (PHI) is protected, as it has limited use.
- There are standards and compliance rules, and the violation of these rules can lead to fines and other reprimands.
- There is a developed set of standards for use where individual patient consent is bypassed.
At its core, this health privacy act allows a greater connected health entity world while protecting the privacy of the information of each patient.
DMS Software Solutions
DMS, or document management software, from eFileCabinet takes all of the compliance requirements and privacy facets of HIPAA and makes them easy for your healthcare entity to apply.
You see, the reality of creating a governing IT system to protect patient privacy and be compliant with HIPAA laws can be extremely expensive—not to mention the monumental task of ensuring that each employee of the company is properly trained.
Don’t spend copious amounts of money to get compliant with an expensive program that still doesn’t provide you with the intuitive solutions to get and remain HIPAA compliant. At eFileCabinet, our primary objective is to create software that manages and stores critical patient information while creating an audit trail that will help you when the time comes for HIPAA review.
With our DMS software, you can keep information on-site or manage all of the information in the Cloud—it’s your choice.
Our DMS solutions help you get compliant and stay that way by helping with the following capabilities:
- The use of SecureDrawer, an eFileCabinet compliance hero, allows you to have highly secure data encryption to protect information. In fact, with SecureDrawer, data encryption is a 256-bit AES standard on data servers, and data is transferred exclusively using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.
- You have password and role-specific access in the protection of who is viewing sensitive patient information.
- The audit trail implementation can aid in HIPAA reporting when your compliance is reviewed.
- You have data security during a disaster or emergency situation, because healthcare entities are still responsible for information security even during an electronic disaster.
- Data integrity software allows data inaccuracies to be prevented.
Additional features found within DMS includes intuitive integration options where incoming files can be automatically dropped into specified files, workflow options for different documents, and hassle-free file retrieval—among other things.
By using eFileCabinet, you can be sure to protect yourself from significant criminal and civil penalties that may result from HIPAA violations.
Take a minute and fill out the form for a free 15-minute demo where you will be able to see how your specific HIPAA challenges can be solved with ease. Don’t wait until audit time to get 100% compliant.