Those in the medical industry are no stranger to strict rules regarding patient data protection. With the rise of cyber-attacks and malicious intent, it is even more important to ensure that medical offices adhere to HIPAA compliant email practices.
It’s an unfortunate fact that medical facilities, doctor’s offices and all different types of medical clinics are prime targets for cybercriminals, and email is one of the most common ways they can gain access to valuable patient information.
That’s why it is essential that every medical office take the appropriate measures to ensure their staff are using HIPAA compliant email practices. Here are some of the steps you should follow:
Follow Patient Consent
One of the first and easiest ways to protect your patient data is to make sure you have patient consent to email any PHI (Protected Health Information) With the introduction of GDPR and other regulations, it is important to make sure you have full consent from patients before sending any PHI.
PHI is any kind of data that can identify a patient and should be kept secure. It can include:
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Medical History
- Social Security Number
Secure Your Email Account
The next step is to secure your email account with a strong password and MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication). Passwords should be long, complex, and difficult for anyone else to guess. Multi Factor Authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring two or more forms of identification before someone can access the account.
This includes things like one time codes sent via text message or biometric authentication such as fingerprint scanning.
Encrypt Messages & Set it Up Correctly
It is also essential that all messages be encrypted before sending. This will make sure that the data is kept secure even if it is intercepted by an unauthorized user. It’s also important to have your email set up correctly with your IT team.
For example, they should ensure that all emails are sent through TLS (Transport Layer Security) and end-to-end encryption when possible.
Train & Alert Staff
It’s common knowledge that the biggest risk facing any business is its own employees. That’s why it’s essential to conduct regular training with staff and make sure they understand the importance of email security and how to use HIPAA compliant practices.
Through training and alerting staff to any potential breaches or issues, you can ensure that the data is kept secure and HIPAA compliant.
Why Work With Tech Rockstars?
When it comes to medical offices and other healthcare organizations, email security is essential. In order to have that peace of mind that you and your data is safe work with a trusted IT partner like Tech Rockstars.
At Tech Rockstars, we have years of experience helping businesses protect their patient information from cyber-attacks. We will work with your office to craft a powerful digital strategy that focuses on HIPAA compliant email practices and keeping patient data safe.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you protect patient data with HIPAA compliant email practices.
