Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: How can we make sure encryption is part of our HIPAA compliance?

Codify Subscriber

Answer: Encryption is a mechanism that obscures information from unauthorized users and needs to be part of your multi-layered lab security protocols.

When: You should encrypt electronic protected health information (ePHI) when stored and during transmission. Encryption is not expensive, but it can require some expertise to properly apply it.

Who: You should implement access control so that only authorized individuals can get to ePHI.

How: It’s a good idea to include encryption in security training and give anecdotal evidence to show staff what can happen when data is not encrypted.