Note: this article is the third in a five-part article series on healthcare website development and medical website design. View Part 1 | View Part 2 | View Part 4 | View Part 5 As a healthcare professional, you are no doubt deeply familiar with HIPAA compliance, the practice of maintaining the integrity and privacy of your patients’ medical records, and other healthcare information. This can be tricky enough when you’re dealing with intranets and internal systems; but when you’re maintaining a website or regularly transmitting data electronically, HIPAA compliance becomes even more difficult. Below, Clarity has created a “HIPAA compliance checklist” for you to browse as you determine whether your website is HIPAA-compliant. What Questions to Ask Yourself Your HIPAA Compliance Checklist If you currently maintain a medical practice website or are planning a HIPAA website design solution, ask yourself: Is all of my data encrypted? This includes not just transmitted data, but also archived or stored data. Can I properly dispose of my data? This means deleting all backups and archives, or any instance in which the data in question is stored on your server. Do I have a HIPAA Privacy Officer? The integral role is designated to make sure your practice is up-to-date and adhering to all private, state, and federal rules and regulations. Do I have HIPAA hosting lined up? Where you keep your data must be secure. Is a copy of my HIPAA policy clearly displayed on my website? This will keep you compliant with HIPAA standards and put your patients at ease. SSL Certificate to Start Medical Website Security Features Not only is SSL widely used in credit card transactions and the transmission of other sensitive data, but it also generally meets HIPAA’s own set of standards regarding data security and encryption. The easiest way to maintain a HIPAA-compliant website is to use a system like SSL (at least for data being entered into forms, displayed on pages, and transmitted). Not only is SSL widely used in secure credit card transactions and the transmission of other sensitive data, but it also generally meets HIPAA’s own set of standards regarding data security and encryption. Other medical website security features include a system for routinely auditing your website; keeping your server up to date; and investing in a top-notch data disposal system. Developing HIPAA Solutions for 15 Years HIPAA-Compliant Web Developers From PCI-DSS standards (secure credit card transactions) to HIPAA-compliant development, Clarity Ventures understands web security and its critical importance in upholding the integrity and vitality of your organization. In addition to helping with medical website security standards—even if you need to address a difficult task such as WordPress HIPAA security—we'll also securely integrate your website with internal systems, EMR-EHR systems, CRM systems, ERP systems, and more. Ultimately, we want to build you a HIPAA eCommerce system that allows you to access information as efficiently as possible without risking any integrity. Speak to a representative today to learn more. To learn more about medical website development, please read: Part 1 - HIPAA Websites Design and Development Part 2 - Healthcare Websites and Patient Portals Part 4 - Medical Website Security and HIPAA Audits Part 5 - Medical Website Marketing