HIPAA Cloud Compliance: How to, Factors to Keep in Mind

HIPAA, among the most renowned regulations in the world of global healthcare, has become a key point of discussion for healthcare companies as they move towards the cloud. And rightly so; this regulation seeks to protect patients and their highly-sensitive data which could lead to critical issues if it were to fall into the wrong hands. You would agree it is critical to be on the cloud today, and critical for the future of the healthcare organizations that are subject to HIPAA. More and more healthcare organizations are turning to HIPAA-compliant cloud hosting companies. They can help complete digital transformations and securely move their IT infrastructure, data, and applications to the cloud. So, if you too are looking to switch to the cloud, allow me to walk you through the most essential considerations for achieving HIPAA cloud compliance:

1. Know exactly which data is relevant for HIPAA: One of the most basic steps in the journey towards HIPAA compliance is determining precisely which data is relevant to achieving said compliance. So, you will have to understand precisely which parts of the data are deemed protected health information (PHI), including contact information, ID numbers, treatment history, test results, medical diagnoses, etc.
2. Encryption processes: A critical part of achieving HIPAA compliance is encryption; in fact, all PHI data transferred amongst systems must be encrypted. Some of the most sought-after encryption systems, then, are Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

Finally, a look at the steps for HIPAA cloud compliance:

1. Strong firewall: HIPAA necessitates the use of not only system−wide firewalls but also multi-factor authentication, Identity Management systems, etc. Hence, it is advisable to use HIPAA−compliant IaaS.
2. Use VPNs: Make sure that all data transfer is secured and executed via an encrypted VPN.
3. Audit actions: Every single action performed on the data must be securely audited, documented, and stored in a secure ledger.
4. 100% availability: HIPAA law requires that the servers used by healthcare facilities are up and running at all times to ensure uninterrupted access to crucial data for hospitals, patients, etc. You can ensure such availability by roping in one or two extra servers as backups for emergencies.
5. Certifications: Make sure that documents such as business associate agreements and certifications, including SSAE and SSL, are in place.
6. Data back-ups: HIPAA necessitates non−dynamic data to be stored and secured at a HIPAA-compliant offsite location.
7. Data disposal: Set up a process to dispose of data that is no longer relevant and ensure that it can never be recovered.
8. Regular evaluations: The final step in the list is a regular assessment of all the processes and must-dos listed above. Oh and do not forget to ensure the assessments are properly documented as well.

As the world becomes increasingly reliant on digital technologies, the world of healthcare too is quickly embracing the digital realm. And understandably so; after all, there exist a multitude of advanced tools and technologies that stand to deliver a world of benefits for the sector. One example of such a beneficial technology for healthcare is cloud computing; of course, since it is such a highly-regulated sector, there are concerns about HIPAA compliance and ensuring compliance with other applicable regulations. Well, hopefully, the above discussion serves as a robust guide to help your business navigate this process and the examples of cloud computing in healthcare cited will be plenty to install confidence in the ability of this technology to bring immense value to your organization.