By Harikrishna Kundariya, Co-founder, Director, eSparkBiz Technologies
LinkedIn: Harikrishna Kundariya
LinkedIn: eSparkBiz
Safeguarding patient privacy is paramount when developing healthcare technology. The process of HIPAA-compliant software development is complicated and requires the implementation of efficient design, solid security policies, and a consistent focus on data protection. Thus, in this blog, we will discuss how to build secure HIPAA-compliant healthcare software.
According to the analysis, the global healthcare IT market will be worth $974.5 billion by 2027. This figure proves the high demand for healthcare solutions that can improve care quality and streamline processes. Healthcare software development has a track record of achieving security, confidentiality, and interoperability by following regulations such as HIPAA and industry standards. Join us in the intricate landscape of HIPAA-compliant Healthtech software, where every line of code carries the weight of trust and integrity.
What is HIPPA-Compliant Healthtech Software?
HIPAA-compliant health tech software is designed through security methods to make it more convincing for PHI. The network uses encryption, access control, audit trails, and secure data transmission protocols as the main pillars of its security measures. It is designed to ensure that confidential patient health information will not be subject to unauthorized access, breaches, or data breaches.
Today, to develop HIPAA-compliant software in 2024, customer insights are used in conjunction with the software development process that is efficient.
How to Develop HIPAA-Compliant Software in 2024
HIPAA-compliant software development in 2024 must apply customer insights together with a software development process to build better software. Now, let’s discuss each aspect of building a better HIPAA-compliant software.
Let’s dive in!
1. Understand HIPAA Requirements
To be efficient in the workflow, there is a need to have an understanding of HIPAA rules, HIPAA security rules, and HIPAA privacy rules. The Security Rule covered entities is a set of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for protecting electronic protected health information (EPHI). The privacy rule determines the types of PHI (protected/personal health information) that can be disclosed and under which circumstances such information can be used.
2. Implement Administrative Safeguards
The process of developing rules is the training of the workforce, security access, risk management, incident response, and regulatory compliance. To start, we need to ensure that the whole entity undergoes HIPAA training and security rules education.
3. Deploy Physical Safeguards
This incorporates application access controls as well as facility security, workstation protection, and device encryption. Apply biometric authentication and surveillance cameras that cannot be allowed by everybody to access ePHI servers. This is to avoid physical ePHI by unauthorized parties.
4. Leverage Technical Safeguards
Technological safeguards are the technology and processes that are barriers to unauthorized disclosure of ePHI. Apply state-of-the-art encryption techniques to keep the data secure when in transport and at rest. Employ the best ways of authentication such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), as these methods will be effective and will keep the authority for accessing confidential information.
5. Ensure Secure Data Transmission
Security of Communication uses HTTPS, SSL/TLS, and VPN to encode the data sent to the server and back to the client. Encrypted emails help to interact with ePHI being sent/received. Make sure that you have already implemented the data loss prevention (DLP) mechanisms that will help to stop the exchange of private information.
6. Maintain Audit Trails
The auditing software can not only trace all access to ePHI but also record and trace it across all software systems. Both the events, log, and user activity should retain details so that they can be audited at a later time. It is vital to perform audit log reviews at least once a month.
7. Secure Third-Party Integrations
It should make third-party services or APIs comply with HIPAA standards. Ensure that you do background checks of all their third-party vendors and have a strong security system. Respective contracts and DPAs will aid in ensuring the non-compliance of the HIPAA rules by the third-party vendors.
8. Conduct Regular Security Assessments
There are regular security audits, penetration tests, and vulnerability scanning that are done to identify the security weaknesses and loopholes in the system software. Contacting the third-party auditor to audit the process is best for assessment.
9. Develop a Breach Response Plan
Make an incident response plan and always have it handy in case of a cyberattack or data breach. Develop reporting, containment, mitigation, and notification actions in the plan’s protocols for better security.
10. Ensure Ongoing Compliance
Keep up with the latest legislative and regulatory changes that are affecting the industry and also with the new industry best practices. Conduct periodic reviews and audits of your systems software to ensure that they comply with the latest standards through software updates.
11. Secure Cloud Infrastructure
Choose a cloud infrastructure service provider, which is HIPAA-compliant if your application needs a cloud for data storage and processing. Prefer to ensure that cloud service providers comply with industry standards and certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
12. Training and Awareness Programs
It is important to conduct a comprehensive HIPAA training and awareness program. It will help to train all employees and contractors on the HIPAA rules and practices in the implementation of safety practices. Run training regularly and teach your workforce security awareness materials, simulated attacks, and security compliance, so that it becomes an integral part of your organization.
13. Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response
Develop and prioritize an incident response plan that will specify the necessary actions such as containment, notification, and remediation actions on time.
14. Compliance Documentation and Auditing
It is important to ensure that the policies and procedures have been systematically and comprehensively mapped out. The appointment of independent auditors or consultants conducts regular overseas audits of the software system to ensure HIPAA compliance.
Conclusion
HIPAA-compliant software is the key to the process of healthcare provisioning. In 2024, the software development industry is taking essential measures to develop an all-embracing strategy to ensure compliance with HIPAA. With the implementation of the key actions, software developers would develop software that satisfies HIPAA’s data privacy requirements and ensures safety.