HIPAA Compliance: Protect PHI, Protect Your Practice
HIPAA compliance that protects patients and your organization - Security Rule, Privacy Rule, and Breach Notification Rule, fully implemented.
Why HIPAA Compliance Is Critical for Healthcare and Its Partners
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) establishes mandatory standards for protecting Protected Health Information (PHI) - any individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by covered entities (healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses) and their business associates. The penalties for non-compliance range from $137 to $2.07 million per violation category per year, and OCR (HHS Office for Civil Rights) enforcement has intensified significantly since 2020.
HIPAA's compliance framework comprises three core rules: the Privacy Rule governs use and disclosure of PHI and patient rights; the Security Rule establishes administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for electronic PHI (ePHI); the Breach Notification Rule mandates reporting timelines for breaches affecting 500+ individuals (60 days to OCR, media notification) and all affected individuals. The 2024 HIPAA Security Rule updates proposed by HHS - when finalized - will add mandatory encryption, multi-factor authentication, and network segmentation requirements.
Business associates - cloud storage providers, EHR vendors, billing companies, IT service providers - are directly liable under HIPAA and must execute Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with covered entities. Dark Rock serves both covered entities building or maturing their HIPAA compliance programs and technology companies seeking to become HIPAA-compliant to win healthcare contracts.
Our Approach
Assess
Comprehensive HIPAA Security Rule risk analysis as required by 45 CFR § 164.308(a)(1): identify all ePHI, assess threats and vulnerabilities, determine likelihood and impact, and produce a risk register prioritized by severity. We also assess Privacy Rule compliance (notice of privacy practices, minimum necessary standards, patient rights processes) and Breach Notification Rule readiness.
Remediate
Risk management implementation: encryption of ePHI at rest and in transit, access controls and audit logging, workforce training programs, workstation and device security, physical safeguards for facilities housing ePHI, and emergency access procedures. We address both the required and addressable implementation specifications with documented rationale for addressable decisions.
Implement
Develop your HIPAA compliance program documentation: Security Risk Analysis and Risk Management Plan, HIPAA policies and procedures (60+ required), BAA templates and management process, workforce sanction policy, disaster recovery and contingency plan, and your Notice of Privacy Practices. We establish your ongoing audit log review and workforce training cadence.
Certify
While HIPAA has no formal certification body, Dark Rock conducts a final compliance review to identify remaining gaps, prepares your documentation for potential OCR investigation, and issues a compliance attestation letter suitable for BAA negotiations. We establish your annual risk analysis cadence and breach response program to maintain compliance through regulatory changes.
What You Get
- HIPAA Security Rule risk analysis (required under 45 CFR § 164.308(a)(1))
- Risk management plan with remediation tracking
- Complete HIPAA policies and procedures library (60+ documents)
- Business Associate Agreement (BAA) template and management process
- Workforce security awareness training program and completion records
- HIPAA contingency plan (disaster recovery, emergency access, data backup)
- Breach notification procedures and incident response playbook
- Privacy Rule compliance review - Notice of Privacy Practices and patient rights
0%
of healthcare data breaches involve unencrypted or improperly secured ePHI - encryption is non-negotiable
