Choose a Marketing Firm that Takes HIPAA Compliance Seriously

CMPkc’s mantra is “We Understand Healthcare Marketing.” We’ve worked closely with hospitals and healthcare systems since 1985.

We thought it might be interesting for healthcare marketers to quickly read about the steps we’ve taken as a company to ensure any patient data we collect and/or receive is handled safely and securely. CMPkc takes HIPAA laws very seriously, and we know our clients are extremely concerned with the procedures we have in place to protects patients’ information.

What are the consequences of non-compliance?

We understand that the consequences of non-compliance with HIPAA can be severe. Covered entities and business associates that violate HIPAA can face significant fines and penalties, as well as damage to their reputation and potential legal action. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is responsible for enforcing HIPAA, has the authority to impose significant fines and penalties for HIPAA violations, with fines ranging from $100 to $50,000 per violation, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per year for each type of violation.

How does a company become HIPAA compliant?

Below are the steps CMPkc has undertaken:

1. Conduct a risk assessment: The first step in becoming HIPAA compliant is to conduct a thorough risk assessment of your organization. This assessment should identify potential vulnerabilities and risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI).
2. Develop and implement policies and procedures: Based on the results of your risk assessment, you'll need to develop and implement policies and procedures to protect PHI. These policies should address issues such as access controls, data encryption, and employee training.
3. Train your employees: HIPAA compliance requires that all employees who will have access to PHI receive training on the privacy and security of this information. This training should cover topics such as the importance of protecting PHI, the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, and the organization's policies and procedures.
4. Monitor and audit: Regular monitoring and auditing of your systems and policies can help ensure that your organization remains HIPAA compliant. This can include reviewing access logs, conducting security assessments, and reviewing policies and procedures.

Business Associate Agreements

CMPkc regularly enters into Business Association Agreements with healthcare organizations to ensure we meet the standards as set forth by our hospital partners. We meet all the IT requirements, have third-party partners that ensure and maintain a secure network of any stored data on-site, train our associates, and carry all the appropriate insurances to meet your healthcare organization’s BAA requirements.

What are the benefits that CMPkc has gained from becoming HIPAA compliant?

1. Improved credibility: Being HIPAA compliant demonstrates that we take data privacy and security seriously.
2. Increased marketability: HIPAA compliance gives us a competitive edge when bidding for contracts with healthcare organizations that require their vendors to be HIPAA compliant.
3. Reduced liability: HIPAA compliance can reduce the risk of data breaches and associated legal liabilities.
4. Increased efficiency: HIPAA compliance requires processes and procedures for handling PHI, which can lead to improved organization and efficiency in our operations.
5. Protects sensitive information: HIPAA compliance helps ensure that sensitive health information is protected from unauthorized access, theft, or misuse.

In short, CMPkc understand that HIPAA compliance is a vital aspect of our relationship with our healthcare partners and an important way to maintain our clients’ trust.

The original version of this page was published at:  https://cmpkc.com/Blog/hipaa_compliance