Modern Data Standards: HIPAA

You’re probably not directly familiar with HIPAA unless you work in the health industry or an industry that has to interact with it. So, why should you care? The simple answer is that these are the laws and standards that govern personal information about our individual health. HIPAA is an acronym for: The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Among many things, it sets forth guidelines for how health data is to be stored, transferred, and processed between different organizations that require that information.

If you’re in the health industry and you’re looking to use any modern data storage technology, you and/or the proprietors of that technology have to follow very strict guidelines to ensure the safety of that data. Not all data storage is created equal and to meet these standards you have to know a lot more about this technology than the average user. IT Now is very familiar with the technologies of data storage and the strict guidelines of HIPAA.

Beyond specifications for hardware and software, HIPAA also requires that anyone involved with handling this sensitive data is certified. It also designates very specific protocol which must be observed while handling this data. IT Now professionals are familiar with the basic levels of HIPAA certification and have a working knowledge of HIPAA protocols. That means if you or your employees experience problems on computers that are part of a HIPAA secured network, we’ll be able to assist you right away.

Even if your business is not directly involved with HIPAA protocols, you can feel safer knowing that IT Now is handling your data and IT issues. The strict precedent set by these laws means that our company has to function at a higher standard than others in our industry. In addition to HIPAA, we also operate under other national standards like the Statement on Auditing Standards # 70 (SAS 70). So, on top of functioning at higher standards of data security, we are also operating at higher standards of organization for reporting purposes as well.

If your’re shopping for IT services and you have questions about various standards that might exist in your industry, don’t hesitate to contact IT Now. We’ll be able to let you know what is required and if our data centers meet those standards.  We can also see about getting some of our IT experts trained in your specific protocols, so they can be ready to assist your business right when you need them. No matter your IT or data storage needs: IT Now is ready to assist you with computer issues, so you can focus your attention on what you do best.