The healthcare industry has been plagued by https://www.upguard.com/blog/what-is-inherent-risk and common protocol mistakes that result in significant penalties imposed by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Poor security protocols, neglected https://www.upguard.com/blog/cyber-security-risk-assessment audits, internal human errors, and the lack of employee HIPAA training are just a few factors contributing to lost, compromised, or stolen patient data and sensitive medical records.
With the right security controls implemented, regular auditing, and proper employee training, HIPAA violations can be easily avoided.
While HIPAA doesn’t mandate healthcare providers to encrypt their data, https://www.upguard.com/blog/data-breach involving medical records that are unencrypted may be considered a reportable security incident.
Unless the attending medical professional has a direct reason to access specific medical records, all patient information is considered off-limits.