What Counts as a HIPAA Violation?

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HIPAA Violation: What You Need to Know

Health information is not always as private as you might believe. HIPAA violations can occur without your knowledge, putting your health at risk. These serious violations can result in fines, suspension of hospital privileges, including health plans, and criminal charges. We’ll go over HIPAA, what constitutes a HIPAA violation, and how to keep your health information safe. Read on to find out how to avoid this from happening to you.

What Is HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) ensured individuals’ health information privacy and security. The act establishes national standards for protecting electronic healthcare information and prevents healthcare fraud. It also requires covered entities, such as hospitals and doctors, to take steps to protect the confidentiality of protected health information.

HIPAA violations can happen without your knowledge. Only health care providers, their business associates, and the government can access protected health information. Individuals who knowingly obtain or disclose PHI in any manner not permitted by HIPAA may be subject to penalties for violations to criminal fines, and imprisonment for many years.

10 Most Common HIPAA Violations

There are several ways in which individuals can violate HIPAA. Some of the most common violation examples include:

  1. Unlawful disclosures of sensitive health information (PHI): This is when someone knowingly obtains or discloses protected health information in any manner not permitted by HIPAA. For example, sharing PHI with friends or family members, posting it on social media, or selling it to third-party companies.
  2. Unauthorized access to protected health information: This refers to accessing protected health information on another computer without proper authorization. For instance, accessing medical records of someone you do not know or shareseveralseveral your PHI with unauthorized individuals.
  3. Failure to record and log compliance efforts: This is when PHI is disposed of in a way that does not protect the individual’s privacy. For example, throwing protected health information into the trash can where others can easily access it.
  4. Failure to complete a risk assessment: By law, individuals must assess the safeguards needed to protect PHI. It includes what type of information needs to be protected and what steps need to be taken to remain private.
  5. Failure to manage threats to PHI’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability: This includes implementing safeguards to protect PHI from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction.
  6. Failure to conduct risk analyses when appropriate to maintain PHI’s confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility: This often leads to HIPAA violations. It includes failure to properly password protect electronic PHI, including digital files, using unencrypted email to transmit PHI and unprotected health information on computers or networks.
  7. Inability to keep and monitor PHI access logs: This is a requirement of HIPAA. Access logs must be kept for six years and include the individual’s name, who accessed PHI, what information was accessed, and when it was accessed.
  8. Failure to enter into a HIPAA-compliant business associate agreement with vendors before providing PHI access: Under HIPAA, all covered entities who handle PHI must have a business associate agreement in place. This document spells out the terms and conditions of how protected health information will be shared between the parties involved.
  9. Failure to give copies of PHI to patients upon request Failure to set access controls to limit who can view PHI: This allows individuals only to view the specific information they are authorized to see.
  10. Failure to terminate PHI access rights when they are no longer needed: This includes former employees, students, volunteers, and other individuals who have had access to protected health information.

What You Can Do to Protect Your Health Information

There are a number of things you can do to protect your health information and avoid HIPAA violations. Some of the most important include:

Keep Your Personal Health Information (PHI) Confidential 

Avoid disclosure of PHI to anyone who is not authorized to receive it. Do not, for example, share your private health information with friends or family members who are not involved in your healthcare.

Make Sure Your Healthcare Providers Are HIPAA Compliant

Only give PHI to individuals who need it for their work. Ask what they plan to do with the information and if you agree, then share the data. For instance, if you have surgery, your doctor will need to know about all of your allergies.

Always Read Any Agreements Before Allowing Third Party Access to Your Health Records

Ensure you have read and understood the business associate agreement before granting third-party access to patient records. This document specifies the terms and conditions under which PHI may be used and the privacy safeguards that will be in place. Before any of a patient’s PHI can be disclosed to a third party for a purpose other than those expressly permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the patient must sign an authorization form.

Use a Secure Email System

When emailing PHI, use a secure email system to protect the information from unauthorized individuals. For example, the PHI should be encrypted and protected by a password.

Report Any Data Breaches 

If you become aware of security breaches, report them to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) immediately. For instance, if your health information is stolen from your doctor’s office, you should report the incident to HHS.

Review Your Notice of Privacy Practices

You should review and understand what PHI is included in the notice of privacy practice to know that you cannot share information without authorization. For example, a doctor’s office may consist of your Social Security number in the notice of privacy practices.

By taking these steps, you can help protect the privacy of patients’ health information and avoid HIPAA violations. HIPAA violations can happen without your knowledge, but you can take steps to protect yourself. 

 

By keeping personal health information confidential and sharing only what is needed, individuals can keep their health information safe and avoid HIPAA violations. This can be avoided through proper employee training and enforcement by a compliance officer or other staff member.

The Consequences of Violating HIPAA

Potential violations of HIPAA can face a number of consequences, including violation fines and imprisonment. Fines for violating HIPAA are with a minimum of $50,000 per violation, with a maximum of $250,000 per year for violations of the same provision.

Healthcare Employees who have access to health information who violate HIPAA may also be subject to civil penalties and imprisonment. For instance, a person who knowingly obtains or discloses protected health information without proper authorization or consent form could face imprisonment of up to one year.

In addition, all HIPAA violations have civil consequences as well. Individuals can be sued by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for breaching health information or disclosing it in violation of HIPAA. In addition, they can be sued by the person whose protected health information has been disclosed or breached.

The consequences of HIPAA violations are serious and should not be taken lightly.

Why Do We Need to Know About HIPAA Violations?

HIPAA violations occur every year and can have serious consequences. For example, what you do with your health information could affect the rest of your life if it is exposed in a data breach or shared without authorization. Also, what we share about our healthcare may impact others’ lives when they need to find a doctor who can treat them. By taking steps to protect your health information, you can avoid what may be a costly mistake that could follow you for the rest of your life.

Individuals need to be aware of HIPAA violations to protect their health information. By understanding the different ways to violate HIPAA, individuals can take steps to ensure their PHI remains confidential. Knowing what to do if a data breach occurs will help limit the damage if unauthorized access to PHI occurs. You should only share PHI with those who need to know, and all individuals need to understand what constitutes HIPAA violations.

 

Wheelhouse IT Managed Service Provider Offers HIPAA Compliant Solutions

Healthcare IT is a complex and ever-changing field. The regulations and compliance requirements can be overwhelming for even the most seasoned health care professional. 

Wheelhouse IT Managed Service Provider offers HIPAA compliant cloud hosting, disaster recovery, managed backup solutions to help your organization comply with HIPAA guidelines while saving you time and money. We also offer HIPAA compliance training and internal audits to businesses like yours. We know how confusing it can be to find out what’s required of you by law, so we have created this website as an easy reference guide to all things HIPAA-related. 

Our services are designed specifically for the Healthcare Industry, which means our team has worked directly with clients in your position before. Hence, we understand exactly what additional layer of support you need when it comes to security compliance issues like these. We offer a variety of different packages that will fit any budget or needs ranging from complete end-to-end management, including hardware installation/configuration, software installation/configuration, network setup/troubleshooting & monitoring, to remote 24/7 support and access to our secure HIPAA compliant cloud hosting platform.

If you are looking for a hassle-free, worry-free way to keep your healthcare data safe and compliant, please do not hesitate to contact us today. We would be more than happy to discuss our HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions with you in more detail and answer any questions you may have.

Please feel free to browse our website or contact us directly today at (877) 771-2384 to find out how we can help your medical practice, hospital, clinic, laboratory, dentist office, or other healthcare facility meet HIPAA requirements quickly and easily at a price that fits your budget.

 

We look forward to working with you to make your medical practice or organization HIPAA compliant, and you can be sure that because we are committed to helping healthcare and other medical facilities like yours meet their compliance requirements, we will do everything in our power to keep your data safe.

What Is the HIPAA Officer?

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HIPAA is a federal law that requires the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. It needs a responsible officer to ensure that the organization complies with HIPAA.

The HIPAA officer is responsible for overseeing all aspects of HIPAA compliance, from developing and implementing policies and procedures to training employees on their responsibilities under HIPAA. They also need to ensure that any vendors or contractors who may access patient health information comply with them. They are responsible for ensuring that employee, patient, customer data are protected by federal law. This includes managing privacy policies and procedures to ensure compliance with current regulations. A significant part of this responsibility is ensuring that employees understand their obligations to safeguard information against unauthorized access when they have access to it.

What Do HIPAA Compliance Officers Oversee?

A HIPAA compliance officer is in charge of all matters about HIPAA’s requirements and procedures. They are responsible for enforcing the organization’s privacy policies and ensuring the security of protected health information (PHI). This individual monitors the program’s daily operations ensures compliance and investigates any reported breaches. Additionally, the compliance officer will be responsible for upholding the patient rights mandated by HIPAA and other federal and state laws.

All employees must understand what personal information is considered private by the law, so no one mistakenly discloses confidential information about someone else without authorization. They are the person who a covered entity or business associate has designated to ensure that they comply with the HIPAA Security Rule. The officer needs to understand and implement all of the requirements of this rule, which includes maintaining an updated risk analysis, developing and implementing policies and procedures, providing workforce training, etc. 

Duties and Responsibilities of a HIPAA Compliance Officer

A compliance officer is in charge of managing everything about HIPAA standards and procedures. They are in charge of their organization’s privacy policy and the security of protected health information (PHI). This person is responsible for overseeing the program’s day-to-day operations, ensuring compliance, conducting effective employee training programs and management training, responding to breaches, undertaking corrective action and management training, and investigating any claims of violations.

Due to the similarity in duties, the roles of a HIPAA Privacy Officer and HIPAA Security Officer are performed by the same person in smaller organizations. These are common duties and responsibilities of a HIPAA compliance officer:

  • Keep up to date: The compliance officer must keep up with all the latest HIPAA updates. They need to be aware of changes in the law and how they may impact their organization’s privacy policy and security measures. They must always stay up to date on the latest HIPAA guidelines and any changes that may have been added. These updates are mandatory for all current employees to assure compliance.
  • Ensure privacy: The compliance officer is in charge of the privacy policy and ensures that all employees follow it. The privacy policy must protect PHI by HIPAA standards. Compliance officers are responsible for ensuring that PHI stays secure and is never accessed by unauthorized personnel. They must make sure the rules of PHI access are being adhered to at all times, including when employees leave their employment or when they retire.
  • Keep track of progress: The compliance officer is in charge of monitoring the organization’s progress towards meeting its HIPAA requirements. They are responsible for assessing the level of compliance with the law and conducting audits to stay up to date on all procedures. They must ensure everyone meets all the requirements necessary to maintain compliance, such as attending training and taking any required tests.
  • Perform risk evaluations: A HIPAA compliance officer is also responsible for performing risk evaluations. They must identify any risks to the security of PHI and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. This may include installing new security measures or changing how PHI is stored and accessed. They must be aware of PHI and ePHI vulnerability. They must perform risk evaluations to determine the threats that might harm their organization’s data. These threats can come from inside or outside the organization, so they should always remain vigilant for any possible issues. They must ensure employee awareness of individual and organizational HIPAA obligations.
  • Provide an efficient overview: The compliance officer is also responsible for providing an efficient overview of the HIPAA programs for employees. They must create and deliver training on policies and procedures. They must make sure everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities regarding security. They should follow up on any possible issues and perform regular assessments, even if no issues were found in the previous assessment.
  • Make instructional materials:  A compliance officer is also responsible for creating information on privacy and security procedures. This includes creating pieces of training for employees on how to handle and follow the privacy policy properly. They must make sure all employees are aware of their responsibilities regarding the security of health information and that they understand the risks involved with mishandling this data. They must plan, review, and update these materials periodically as needed.
  • Investigate and acknowledge: A HIPAA compliance officer is responsible for investigating any customer complaints or claims of violations and taking the appropriate actions. They must also acknowledge and investigate any reports of breaches to the security of PHI. They are responsible for compiling and submitting incident reports and following up on these reports. When needed, they must take prompt action and acknowledge the client’s complaint about records purposes.
  • Strengthen the firm’s privacy policies: A HIPAA compliance officer can help strengthen their company’s privacy policies by implementing best practices and guidelines set forth by HIPAA. They can also provide suggestions on improving data security and better protecting PHI. They should make sure employees understand and adhere to policies as needed informing fellow employees of all security risks, especially new hires. Privacy officers should conduct internal security audits of all technology and networks that employees regularly use to ensure that all security practices are followed and that the organization is still following the best safety practices.

Certain Traits of a Compliance Officers

A compliance officer implements and manages HIPAA compliance programs. They are important because they help us stay compliant with government regulations and protect our patients’ privacy. The HIPAA officer is an important position in any health care industry because they are responsible for implementing and managing HIPAA compliance programs. They have certain traits that make them reliable and curious, which helps them understand the ins and outs of these programs.

These are the characteristics of compliance officer that makes them important for us:

  • Reliable: Compliance officers must meet deadlines and complete tasks on time. They should prioritize duties and know when to ask for help if they cannot handle a situation alone.
  • Curious: Compliance officers want to find the root of problems, which makes them good at their jobs because it gives them an understanding of what needs to be fixed. They are also willing to ask questions and need to speak with others in the organization.
  • Diligent: Compliance officers should always complete tasks thoroughly and efficiently. They have a lot on their plate, so they need to stay on top of everything that’s going on in order.
  • Meticulous: HIPAA has many intricate details, so compliance officers must be detail-oriented. They need to keep track of changes and ensure that everyone within their facility is compliant.
  • Interpersonal qualities: Compliance officers must be able to communicate with all levels of staff and patients. They should build relationships and trust with people to get the job done.
  • Business acumen: Compliance officers need to know the ins and outs of the healthcare industry. They should also understand the business so they can help their organization grow financially.
  • Critical thinker: In order to implement HIPAA standards, compliance officers must be able to think critically. They need to know what will impact and how they can turn things around if there are problems. Compliance officers should also explain the importance of policies and procedures in a way that is easy for everyone throughout the organization to understand.

HIPAA is a very important law that many healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with. As the world becomes more digitized, it’s becoming increasingly necessary to have an officer who can make sure your company complies with all of the legalities surrounding health information. They are a very important part of any organization because they are often the first line of defense to protect patients’ privacy. They make sure that organizations abide by state and federal laws governing patient information, including everything from electronic health records to billing data.

As the healthcare industry evolves, all business partners and stakeholders need to take prudent steps to protect patient information. HIPAA officers are key members of every organization’s medical staff who ensure that patients receive high-quality care while safeguarding personal health data.

Wheelhouse IT Can Assist in Maintaining HIPAA Compliance

Health care organizations are required to safeguard the privacy of their patient’s medical records, but many struggles with how to do this.

Most healthcare organizations that have been fined for HIPAA violations felt they were in compliance and didn’t know what else they could do. They just needed a little help navigating the complex regulations of HIPAA.

Wheelhouse IT has experience working with all types of health care providers, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and insurance companies as well as businesses outside of the industry who want guidance on how best to protect sensitive data such as financial institutions – no matter where it resides (on-premises or cloud). We’ll even make sure you’re compliant when your staff transitions to the new mobile devices and apps you’ll need to stay connected in today’s market.

Even if it seems like you’re following HIPAA guidelines, no one is immune from a breach when cybercriminals are at work. They’re always discovering new ways to get into networks and steal data. With Wheelhouse IT, you can be sure that your data is encrypted and secure, so you don’t have to worry about anything. Call us now at (877) 771-2384 or email us at [email protected] to learn more about our HIPAA services and how we can help you achieve compliance.

How To Send HIPAA Compliant Email

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How To Send HIPAA Compliant Email

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) set the standard for healthcare providers in protecting sensitive patient data. Any organization that handles protected health information (PHI) must adhere to all applicable physical, network, and process security measures. HIPAA-compliant email solutions and all aspects of email security fall under this category. But HIPAA compliance for email communications (email accounts and email services) is often viewed as a baffling subject matter.

Organizations subject to HIPAA include covered entities (any company that provides treatment, medical practices, payment, or healthcare operations) and business associates (any company with access to PHI that provides support for covered entities). Even subcontractors (i.e. business associates of business associates) must comply with HIPAA secure communications rule. These organizations and entities have to overcome all compliance challenges that may come their way, in order not to breach HIPAA rules.

What is HIPAA compliant email?

In 2000 the HIPAA Privacy Rule created for the first time a set of national standards for safeguarding certain health information. It allows covered entities to disclose PHI to a business associate if it receives assurances that the business associate will use the information only within the scope in which it was engaged by the covered entity.

The HIPAA Security Rule was added in 2003 to set out what safeguards must be in place to protect electronic PHI (ePHI), which is health information that is held or transferred in electronic form.

In regards to email, covered entities are required to take reasonable steps to protect ePHI as it’s transmitted electronically to the recipient’s inbox.

Once the email reaches the recipient, the obligation of the sender ends, and it becomes the recipient’s job to secure any PHI they have in their inbox.

If you are using a third party to transmit or host ePHI, the company is required by law to sign a business associate agreement (BAA) with you. A BAA establishes that certain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards are in place to protect patient data.

While no certification makes an email provider HIPAA compliant, meeting the requirements set by the HIPAA Privacy & Security Rules is the best place to start, along with ensuring strong technical security measures to make sure ePHI is protected inbox to inbox.

 Does HIPAA require email encryption?

The terms “required” and “addressable” are used to describe HIPAA encryption requirements. Encryption protocols labeled as mandatory must be implemented if you want to remain in compliance with HIPAA. If a risk assessment determines that encryption is necessary to protect ePHI, addressable encryption protocols must be implemented.

This decision should be documented and an equivalent solution implemented to protect ePHI if your organization decides encryption is not necessary. Because there is no suitable alternative to encryption for protecting ePHI in an email, it is effectively necessary. Your patients’ information and your organization could be at risk if you don’t encrypt your emails.

 

There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that your email is HIPAA-compliant:

Ensure you have email encryption (end-to-end encryption) for email

Email is a quick and easy way to communicate electronically for healthcare organizations, but it does not necessarily ensure security nor usually have extra security and compliant technology solutions. Even services that encrypt messages in transit may not have the required level of security to make them HIPAA compliant. To make your email is HIPAA compliant and ensure cloud-based email security, you should ensure you have end-to-end encryption, which encrypts both messages in transit and stored messages. Access controls are used to ensure only the intended recipient and the sender can access the messages.

Some email service providers require individual emails to be encrypted by clicking a button or using a portal. Since it is easy to forget to turn on encryption and accidentally send an unencrypted email, it is a better choice to encrypt all emails, not only those that contain ePHI. This will reduce the potential for human error.

The type of encryption used is also important. While previously Data Encryption Standard (DES) was considered secure, that is no longer the case. You should consult NIST for advice on suitable encryption standards. Currently, AES 128, 192, or AES 256-bit encryption is recommended.

For many HIPAA-covered entities, especially smaller healthcare providers that do not have in-house IT staff to ensure their email is HIPAA-compliant, the use of a third-party HIPAA-compliant email service provider is strongly recommended.

Research potential HIPAA-compliant email service providers to ensure that they provide a service that is suitable for your requirements. A search on Google will produce several potential service providers.

Enter into a HIPAA-compliant business associate agreement with your email provider

In your compliance effort, before using a third-party email service to send ePHI, you should obtain a business associate agreement. As outlined in the business associate agreement, the service provider is responsible for ensuring ePHI’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability through the use of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards.

You should look for an alternative option if an email service provider or compliant email vendor refuses to sign a business associate agreement as one of the business requirements. To work with HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates, an email service provider should be willing to sign a BAA.

Ensure your email is configured correctly

It is possible to violate HIPAA rules even if a BAA is obtained because of the risks of email. It is not enough to use a BAA-protected email service to ensure that your email is HIPAA compliant, you must ensure that your email is configured correctly and take appropriate compliance security measures.

Develop policies on the use of email and train your staff

Training your staff on the proper use of email concerning ePHI and compliance with regulations is essential after you have implemented your HIPAA-compliant email service. Health care workers, in the busy healthcare environment, have been responsible for several data breaches, including the unintentional transmission of ePHI via email without encryption and the transmission of ePHI to individuals who were not authorized to see the data. Employees must be aware of their HIPAA obligations and trained on how to use the email service to comply with the law.

Ensure all emails are retained

Because email retention is not specifically mentioned in HIPAA legislation, HIPAA’s rules on email retention are a little unclear. Covered entities should maintain an email archive, or at least ensure that emails are backed up and stored because individuals can request information on disclosures of protected health information and email communications may be required when legal action is taken against a healthcare organization. Emails may also be required to be kept for a set period of time under state law. Because of this, you should check the laws governing email in the states where you do business. Consult a lawyer if you’re unsure about anything.

HIPAA requires covered entities to keep documentation related to their compliance efforts for six years, and the retention period for security-related emails and emails relating to privacy policy changes should be six years.

Storage space is required even for small and medium-sized healthcare organizations to store 6 years of emails, including attachments. When it comes time to back up your emails, consider using a secure, encrypted email archive instead. Additionally, since an email archive is indexed, searching for emails in an archive is a quick and easy process. Emails can be quickly and easily retrieved if they are needed for legal discovery or a compliance audit.

To be classified as a business associate under HIPAA, any email archiving service provider will be subject to the same regulations as email service providers. It would be necessary to sign a BAA with that service provider and obtain reasonable assurances that they will abide by HIPAA rules.

Obtain consent from patients before communicating with them via email

HIPAA-covered entities need to remember that even if a HIPAA-compliant email provider is used, the patient’s written consent must be obtained before any ePHI is sent via email, no matter how convenient it may be. Patients should be made aware of the potential dangers of sending confidential information via email. Emails containing electronic health information (ePHI) can be sent if the sender is willing to accept the risks.

Partner with Wheelhouse IT 

You may believe that you can meet the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) on your own, and you may be right. A HIPAA-verified Managed Service Provider (MSP) makes it much easier to achieve HIPAA compliance than if you were to do it on your own.

To keep your organization and in-house IT department HIPAA compliant, you can rely on Wheelhouse IT. Some of the benefits of working with us include:

  • Conducting HIPAA security risk assessments
  • Encrypting all PHI and stored data
  • Implementing backup and disaster recovery plans to keep data secure
  • Identifying system vulnerabilities and providing high-quality solutions
  • Providing the necessary technology to ensure data security
  • Providing services such as Remote Monitoring Management (RMM), cloud-to-cloud backup, and authentication and access management 

If you are looking for the assistance of an MSP for your HIPAA compliance needs, call the team at Wheelhouse IT today!

Why Is Technology Important In Healthcare

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Technology has unquestionably altered virtually every facet of our lives. Each of these aspects–including when we wake up with morning alarms, communication methods, how we shop for ingredients for our recipes, and how we travel–has been impacted by the adoption of technology. Technological advances have made life easier for all of us. One area where these advantages have been particularly beneficial is in healthcare (medical technology).

Technology can, and should, play a vital role in health. In fact, when used effectively, technology can become a major driver for health innovation. Some of the reasons why technology is such an important part of healthcare today are:

The efficiency of real-time record accessible at any time

Nearly all medical records are now electronically available via the cloud, secure shared network, and a variety of digital devices, so there’s no need to “check out” the chart from the chart room anymore. It is now possible to act on critical patient data in ways that would have been impossible without EHRs and other platforms’ comprehensive, real-time data along with communication features, safety alerts, reporting capabilities, and remote access.

Significant clinical data for analysis and treatment

Technology generates a large amount of data that can be used in the management of patient care. The Internet is used to automatically update pacemakers and stents. Some gadgets allow patients’ weight and blood glucose levels to be transmitted. Wearables transmit data on one’s sleep and exercise patterns.

There is also an increase in the amount of Big Data being used to produce reports and analytics that look for population trends and gaps in care management. By combining analytics with technology, it is now possible to identify best practices for improving outcomes on both a clinical and economic level. No doubt collecting and integrating all of this data is making it possible to provide patients with better, more individualized care. But until reimbursement, liability, and capacity issues are resolved, the data flood could be a double-edged sword for clinicians.

Improved medication safety

Because of technological advances, clinicians are now warned before prescribing drugs that could interact with one another or to which a patient has an allergic reaction. Technology has replaced books and human memory with automated safeguards that save lives, from CPOE systems (computerized physician order entry) to EHR alerting features.

 Higher quality communication and connectivity

Technology has also made it possible for physicians and care managers to communicate with patients between doctor visits and after hospital discharge. For instance, some apps send automated reminders that ask patients to answer questions after surgery or during healing, and algorithm-driven alerts identify patients at risk for hospital readmission or infection. Patient portals give patients online access to their medical records and medication histories and provide features such as registration, online scheduling, and bill payment. And telehealth platforms allow clinicians to conduct post-op visits, follow up after hospital discharge, or discuss medication adherence issues, all without requiring the patient to come into the office – a significant advantage for patients who have mobility or cognitive issues, or who live in rural areas.

The importance of the use of technology in the health industry

Some of the ways technology has impacted healthcare include:

Electronic Health Record Software

As medical technology improves, hospitals are turning to electronic health records to centralize patient information, ensure accurate patient records, and access to health information, as a result of the complexity of health information. These EHR programs make it easier for doctors to share patient data and an array of health information.

In the delivery of health information, patients can, for example, access their health records from home using electronic health record software. People can use these tools to find out what prescriptions, in the various aspects of patient care, they need to fill or if a doctor’s visit is necessary, enhancing comprehensive medication management.

Telemedicine

Many health organizations are starting to use telemedicine to improve adaptive health care system now that it is becoming more widely accepted. It’s already being used by a few health tech firms. Patients in remote areas can now use apps to communicate with doctors or specialists in other countries, making accessibility of treatment easier in clinical processes. Real-time video calls between these medical professionals are possible thanks to the Internet.

In other cases, health care providers can conduct examinations and issue medication prescriptions over the internet. Health centers will be able to offer more services without having to hire more staff if they use this type of technology. Because of this, they will be able to continue serving rural communities around the world with healthcare.

Big data In healthcare

Big data refers to complex and large data sets that have to be carefully processed and analyzed to identify valuable information that can help form future policies and streamline processes. Concerning the healthcare industry, big data can help in the following ways:

  • Better hospital staffing – Big data can study the current hospital admission rate and help the administration identify possible future admission rates (based on past data). Depending on the information, it can also highlight which facility might face the maximum admission allowing the hospital to better prepare and allocate ample staff and resources to manage all the patients. This reduces the emergency room wait times, saves money, and improves the overall quality of care.
  • Fewer medication-related errors – By studying patient records and medical history, big data can analyze inconsistencies in the level of care and flag any error or gap that’s coming between drug prescriptions and patient’s health in the medical field. It can alert the doctors in advance to the patient history if there is a potential risk of a medication error, as well as other medical errors. For example, if a certain kind of medication is causing adverse effects in diabetic patients, big data analysis can highlight this human error so it can be avoided.
  • Fostering preventive care – Often a large percentage of people coming to the emergency room are recurring patients (also known as “frequent flyers”). Big data can identify this section of patients and help the staff create preventive plans to keep them from coming regularly.

Wearable medical devices

As of 2017, the global wearable medical device market had a value of USD 7,859.4 million. By 2023, the market is expected to reach USD 27,255.6.

Once upon a time, having a physical exam once a year was considered sufficient. Patients would only visit the doctor in the event of an emergency. Patients, on the other hand, are more concerned with prevention and maintenance than damage control in today’s information and technology-driven world. They expect more frequent access to up-to-date information about their health.

As a result of increased demand, new ideas begin to emerge. The healthcare industry is now taking a proactive approach by investing in wearable technology that can provide patients with up-to-date data on their health and alert them well in advance of a major health event.

. Some of these include:

  • Exercise trackers
  • Calorie trackers
  • Heart rate sensors
  • Sweat meters – mostly used by diabetics to monitor their blood sugar levels.
  • Oximeters – monitors the amount of oxygen carried in the blood. This came in handy during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. It’s mostly used by people with respiratory illnesses.

Investing in these smart wearable devices can offer various benefits to the healthcare organizations such as: 

  • Some fitness trackers gamify the whole experience of staying fit by adding goals and awards that you win when you complete a certain activity. This encourages users to be mindful of their diet, nutrition, and exercise.
  • These devices put the patient’s health into their own hands. They feel a sense of ownership and responsibility to track and improve their health.
  • Information obtained from a wearable device can help insurers rate a patient’s risk for illness more accurately.

Chatbots

Chatbots are artificially intelligent devices that communicate with you (AI). Customer service and marketing campaigns already make use of these devices today. Health tech firms are now using them as well. Asthmapolis, for example, is a mobile app for asthma sufferers. People with asthma who forget to take their medicine will be reminded by this chatbot-enabled app. This aids patients in achieving their wellness objectives.

In addition, hospitals can better track patient health information with it, without having to hire more medical professionals.

 Health tech industry jobs and careers

The health industry employs thousands of individuals who work on health tech products every day. Health organizations and healthcare practitioners also employ health care workers who provide health services for patients. With so many health tech jobs available, it’s easier now than ever to enter the health industry and contribute to this growing field.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in health

Using artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical field has already helped diagnose cancer, heart disease, and lung neoplasms. In fact, the FDA has given the green light to an AI program that aids doctors in their diagnostic process. As a result of this technology, human subjectivity is reduced, and patients’ health problems are more easily identified.

Studies have shown, for example, that radiologists are only 50% accurate when it comes to reading mammography reports. Additionally, they only read about 10 slides each day on top of all of the other demands. As a result, their work is boring and monotonous, and they have no motivation to do it.

It’s understandable why so many experts think AI will have a positive impact on healthcare. In fact, healthcare is one of the most likely industries to be disrupted by AI, according to health experts. And this is because health care is a multifaceted subject with numerous untapped potentials.

 

The role of information technology in healthcare is rapidly evolving. As a whole, technology has revolutionized healthcare. Moreover, this transformation is expected to continue for many more years. Healthcare is about to undergo major changes thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning as well as deep learning, blockchain, healthcare mobile apps and wearables. There is no limit to how far technology can go in healthcare as long as healthcare organizations and healthcare professionals keep their minds open and create the necessary infrastructure and systems.

A stable and adaptable healthcare technology is the bedrock on which IT services for the healthcare sector are built. With our managed IT services from Wheelhouse IT, your business can meet today’s needs while also preparing for the possibilities of the future — and save money in the process.

Healthcare providers of all sizes have benefited from scalable technological solutions that have allowed them to incorporate new technologies into their operations. For instance, without a reliable network, electronic health records, electronic billing, and comprehensive staff management systems cannot operate. Slow and unreliable networks hamper operation in the healthcare environment.

Technology integration in healthcare isn’t only a means of complying with new regulations. Technological services are helping facilities compete more effectively in their markets. Doing more with fewer resources is the new normal for them. It has resulted in better patient outcomes and fewer errors as a result of better use of their staff’s time. Using data-driven, collaborative processes, they’re finding new avenues.

Partner with Wheelhouse IT 

Partnership with an IT service provider can help you meet your current needs while laying the groundwork for the ever-changing role of technology in in the healthcare industry. 

At Wheelhouse IT, we can resolve all of your IT issues and bring your systems back to full operation.  Even further, we’re well-positioned to help with HIPAA compliance issues, disaster recovery, and loss prevention. The effective operation of your facility depends on your technology and network. Our solutions will keep your data backed-up, private, and secure, even when the unexpected happens.