Help desks are an important part of running any business, but as a business working in healthcare it is important to keep HIPAA in mind when selecting which help desk software is right for your business. Whenever patient information is filtered through a software platform, that platform must be HIPAA compliant. So how do you choose a HIPAA compliant help desk?
HIPAA Required Software Security Measures
There are certain security features that every software must offer to be HIPAA compliant. These security features enable the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI) to be maintained.
- User Authentication: allows each user to have unique login credentials to access the software platform.
- Access Controls: allows administrators to designate different employee access levels within the software.
- Audit Controls: allows administrators to track data access patterns, including which user accesses what data and for how long.
- Encryption: prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Data Backup: prevents data loss in the event of a breach or other incident.
It is important to note that in many cases, end users are responsible for configuring security settings to activate HIPAA required security features.
Business Associate Agreements
Even though many help desk providers meet HIPAA security requirements, they are not necessarily considered HIPAA compliant. Even the most secure software cannot be HIPAA compliant if the provider does not sign business associate agreements (BAAs) with their clients. Before entering into a business associate relationship with any vendor, healthcare organizations are required to have a signed BAA with the vendor. Vendors that don’t sign BAAs cannot be used to create, receive, store, or transmit PHI.
Other HIPAA Requirements
Although the software’s security offerings, and ability to sign a BAA are key determinants of HIPAA compliant software, there are additional HIPAA requirements that must be met.
- Risk Assessments and Remediation: allows risk and vulnerabilities to PHI to be identified and remedied. Organizations must conduct their risk assessments on an annual basis.
- HIPAA Policies and Procedures: provides guidance on complying with the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification rules.
- Employee Training: ensures that employees are aware of their obligations to protect the privacy and security of PHI.
- Incident Management and Response: enables the quick detection and response to breaches affecting PHI.
Examples of HIPAA Compliant Help Desks
- Freshdesk
- JitBit
- Zendesk
- Mojo Helpdesk
- Help Scout
- Giva
- TeamSupport (enterprise only)
Using a Help Desk for HIPAA Compliance
Now that you have a HIPAA compliant help desk to address your customer’s concerns, why not use a help desk to address your HIPAA concerns? Compliancy Group enables clients to become HIPAA compliant quickly and effectively. Each client is assigned a Compliance Coach to serve as their guide through compliance, and given access to our HIPAA help desk.
