I always mention
in my day-to-day practical work with the
of an
,
, the head of
should have a very good knowledge of the
or business in which he undertakes
most serious task.
1. Risk assessment. The first action of a chief
officer is to assess the risks that threaten the medical profession and the operation of the Practice
as: a] The protection of the medical information of the patients which is sensitive personal
. The principles of confidentiality, integrity and availability should be respected. b] All operational and operational vulnerabilities should be assessed.
, from my personal experience at the Trans-Balkan Medical Center, I know that
maintained
with key codes and encrypted messages that protect sensitive patient
.
2. Meeting with the Board of the Clinic for complete and clear information about the risks, the needs and the costs that must be incurred in order for there to be success in the undertaken project.
3. Program schedule and action plan. a] The urgent points that require the fastest response to avoid any kind of damage, financial or reputational etc. b] Physical and technological safeguards for the protected operation of patients and their
,
as: Secure physical
to areas where
is stored,
as locked filing cabinets, secure
to computer systems, and controlled
to offices. Ensure that electronic
(ePHI) is protected through encryption, firewalls, secure email systems, and regular backups. Develop and enforce
and procedures that govern the handling of
, including
control,
sharing, and breach reporting.
4. Continuous training of
and senior management.
Training: Educate all employees on
requirements, emphasizing the importance of confidentiality and
of
. Training should be ongoing and updated regularly. Phishing Awareness: Teach
to recognize and respond to phishing attempts and other cybersecurity threats.
5. Monitor and Audit: Regular Audits: Conduct periodic audits to ensure
with
and procedures.
includes reviewing
logs, assessing the effectiveness of
measures, and ensuring that all
members adhere to training protocols. Incident Response: Establish a procedure for responding to potential breaches, including a clear reporting process and steps to mitigate damage.
6. Update and Adapt: Policy Review: Regularly review and update
and procedures to keep up with changes in
regulations or in the office's operations. Technology Updates: Ensure that all systems handling
are updated regularly to protect against new
threats.
7. Consulting in Making a Plan a. Legal Counsel: Engage with an attorney specializing in
law and
to ensure that all legal aspects are covered. b. IT and
Experts: Consult with IT professionals who specialize in
to ensure that all technical safeguards are correctly implemented and maintained. Consider bringing in a cybersecurity expert to assess and enhance the
of electronic
. c.
Officer or Consultant: If the office doesn't have a dedicated
officer, consider hiring a consultant with expertise in
to help develop and implement the plan. d.
: Engage with the office’s
providers and administrative
to understand their workflows and how they interact with
. Their input is crucial for developing practical and effective
. e. Third-Party Vendors: Review contracts with third-party vendors who may have
to
(e.g., billing services, IT providers) to ensure they are
-compliant.
Conclusion, with all the above actions, we have the surelly faith that the
aplies all thw prerecusits for HIPPA
.