Operating in the healthcare field requires you to use extra caution when it comes to your technology. Especially with regards to HIPAA compliance. One item that requires special attention is your practice’s data backup protocols. Having a reliable data backup plan is crucial for any business, but when it comes to protecting patient information, going the extra mile isn’t just smart; it’s expected.
Backup redundancy is key. Having a secure offsite backup that uses a cloud-based or hosted server is the best way to ensure your important and sensitive data is safe, and available to you when you need it most. It’s also one of the easier ways to make sure your data is update frequently, and automatically. But a secondary backup, such as an external hard drive that is updated daily, offers your practice an extra layer of data security. It also gives you a way to access data if your Internet connection fails and you can’t reach your hosted server.
Regardless of which backup method – or methods – you choose, making sure that your data is protected from unauthorized access needs to be a top priority. Hosted servers and cloud-based solutions should be at bare minimum password protected, and your practice should make use of encryption technology for your servers, workstations, and devices. Physical backups like thumb drives or external hard drives should also be encrypted, should never be left out in the open, and should be stored in a secure location that only authorized employees can access.
HIPAA regulations require you to continuously monitor access of your protected data. Alvarez Technology Group can help put the necessary protocols in place, and monitor not only data access, but the status of your backups. If a security breach of any kind happens, you need to be aware of it immediately before your data is compromised. If your regularly scheduled backup fails, you’ll need to switch to your secondary backup and have the problem addressed quickly.
Have questions about your practice’s data backup plan? Contact us at [email protected] or (831) 753-7677. We’re the trusted IT professionals for practices in Salinas.
