As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, large patient files and medical records are quickly transitioning to digital format. But it’s not just HIPAA regulations driving this move to a compliant cloud. Electronic solutions are more convenient and practical, allowing for instant access to critical data by healthcare teams. This means improved patient care.
For the uninitiated, there’s a clear difference between standard web hosting and HIPAA-compliant web hosting. In contrast to traditional web hosting companies, HIPAA Compliant Hosting Providers manage protected health information (PHI) according to federally mandated HIPAA regulations. Though general in nature, these regulations call for the persistent data protections that traditional web hosting does not provide.
With a HIPAA hosting provider, therefore, there is an “extra sense of security” that comes from knowing that trained professionals are taking proper care of this sensitive information. Healthcare providers are freed up to focus on their practice while providing patients with peace of mind regarding the privacy of their medical records.
But is it Affordable?
For a growing business that interacts with protected health information (PHI), however, securing an affordable HIPAA compliant hosting provider may not be so easy. For example, HIPAA Compliance requires that data must be stored on a dedicated server for each client. This alone can be a pricey option with some hosting providers – not counting the additional organizational controls and security measures required by HIPAA. One way to help offset these higher costs is to look for a hosting provider that offers clear and tiered plans for different-sized businesses.
A large pharmacy or hospital, for instance, will certainly need more resources than a family dentist who chooses to store their patient records digitally. Still, both are required to be in compliance with HIPAA. For the family dental practice, the need for a more affordable option than a hospital with a larger budget is much greater, and so the option to use a less expensive HIPAA Compliant Hosting provider would be helpful when trying to fit the budget.
Here’s another key factor to keep in mind. When comparing HIPAA cloud providers, always make sure that you are including the cost of technical support as well as the cost of the infrastructure in the final pricing. Companies like Amazon AWS or Google often charge more than $400 per month just to speak to someone in technical support. HIPAA Vault, by contrast, includes 24/7/365 support with less than 15 minute response time to critical alerts as standard for all our plans.
Productivity and efficiency can also be increased by converting to digital records, as compared to keeping paper records that may fill up an enormous amount of space over time – or possibly fall into the wrong hands more easily. Sharing and storing records electronically saves time, space, and helps avoid potential breaches of data if appropriate layers of digital security are utilized.
Customized, Scalable Hosting
In today’s age, anyone who handles and digitally stores PHI needs a provider who can meet their specific infrastructure needs while ensuring they remain HIPAA Compliant from an environment standpoint. This makes it vital to provide scalability (ability to grow seamlessly) as well as ongoing, up-to-date security and great customer service.
Having a trusted, affordable HIPAA Compliant Hosting Provider that can provide these will help to meet business budgets. Meanwhile, the client can focus on serving patients and growing their practice, without the encumbrance of paper records. An investment such as this does not have to be an enormous undertaking initially, nor result in a hefty monthly cost. In the end, simplifying your practice while achieving greater patient satisfaction will be well worth the time and effort.
HIPAA Vault is a leading provider of HIPAA compliant solutions, enabling healthcare providers, business organizations, and government agencies to secure their protected health information from data breaches, threats, and security vulnerabilities. At the core of HIPAA Vault’s business is the managed solutions architecture that is included with every product and service. Advanced security measures are needed to ensure HIPAA compliance, and customers trust HIPAA Vault to mitigate risk, actively monitor and protect their infrastructure, and ensure that systems stay online at all times. In addition, HIPAA Vault is able to provide agile private, hybrid, and public FedRAMP compliant cloud, and participates in SBA 8(a), HUBZone, GSA, and DBE programs. For more information, please visit our website at www.hipaavault.com.
