HIPAA-Compliant Hosting For Healthcare Websites by Liquid Web

Introduction

HIPAA hosting is a specialized type of web hosting designed to meet the strict security and privacy standards established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

In this article, we will explore the concept of HIPAA-compliant hosting, its importance in the healthcare industry, and how Liquid Web hosting provides this service.

What is HIPAA hosting?

HIPAA hosting is a type of web hosting that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards. It is provided by cloud hosting providers and designed to protect sensitive patient information.

A web hosting that is said to be HIPAA compliant is expected to provide a secure hosting environment where healthcare organizations and businesses that handle protected health information (PHI) can store, manage, and process data.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), signed into law in 1996, didn’t provide direct guidance on storing and handling PHI over the internet due to the early stages of the internet and its largely unexploited potential at the time.

However, the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, which cover the need to keep PHI in a secure private environment and restrictions on moving such data to a public space, can also apply to web hosting.

Key Features of HIPAA Hosting

When it comes to HIPAA Hosting, there are some key expectations or standards required from your hosting provider, such as:

• Business Associate Agreements (BAAs): HIPAA hosting providers must have signed BAAs with covered entities and ensure they can handle Protected Health Information (PHI) both securely and in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
• Data Encryption: HIPAA data is very sensitive. HIPAA hosting providers must ensure that patients’ data on the Internet is appropriately encrypted, whether in transit or at rest, to prevent unauthorized access.
• Access Controls: Not everyone is expected to have access to PHI, so there must be limited role-based access controls and a private login for authorized personnel over a secure connection.
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention: Additional security measures should be implemented to detect and prevent security breaches and potential threats.
• Regular Backups and Disaster Recovery: Protected health information (PHI) must be backed up regularly, along with disaster recovery measures, to ensure business continuity.
• 24/7 Support and Monitoring: Hosting providers need to have expert support team members abreast with HIPAA-compliant policies that are available around the clock to identify and resolve issues, both from in-house monitoring and customers’ concerns.

The Importance of HIPAA Compliant Hosting to Healthcare Providers

HIPAA-compliant hosting is vital for healthcare organizations, as it ensures compliance with HIPAA regulations and policies. This ensures HPI protection and reduces the risk of costly penalties, loss of licensing and damage to their reputation.

It is expected of HIPAA hosting providers to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with their customers in the health sector, which outlines their roles and responsibilities in protecting PHI.

With such an agreement in place, Healthcare organizations can count on HIPAA-compliant hosting providers to take the extra precautions in providing a secure hosting environment for storing, protecting, and processing sensitive patient data.

They can also rely on them to provide informed customer support that is knowledgeable about HIPAA requirements, supporting and guiding them in maintaining HIPAA compliance.

When a healthcare organization makes use of HIPAA-compliant hosting, it maintains patient trust and a positive reputation. They can also trust that the hosting provider is on top of its game, trying to minimize the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks.

HIPAA-Compliant WordPress Hosting

WordPress is a flexible and robust web framework and content management system (CMS), making it the most preferred choice for building websites, including healthcare websites.

WordPress in itself is just a tool; it is open-source and therefore not HIPAA-compliant or properly secured. The responsibility of keeping WordPress-powered websites secure from vulnerabilities falls entirely on the WordPress hosting providers.

Most WordPress hosting providers offer security measures to protect websites hosted on their servers, such as firewalls, DDoS protection, malware scanning, and regular site backups.

Unfortunately, most WordPress hosting providers don’t include security measures that cover HIPAA compliance.

Since most web hosting providers aren’t HIPAA compliant, it is difficult for healthcare organizations to find a hosting provider that is.

It is therefore necessary for HIPAA-compliant hosting providers to clearly declare and provide information about their compliance, helping healthcare organizations or their web design agencies find them. This is where Liquid Web hosting stands out.

Liquid Web: A Trusted HIPAA Hosting Provider

Liquid Web is one of the most reputable web hosting providers across the globe. Liquid Web is the best in the industry in terms of uptime, backup, and failover.

Liquid Web offers fully managed HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions with approved BAAs and 24/7 support, making it an excellent choice for healthcare practitioners and organizations.

They provide secure, highly reliable Windows and Linux HIPAA servers, perfect for healthcare provider sites, pharmacy sites and apps, medical research platforms, health insurance portals, medical, health, and wellness apps, among others.

Why Choose Liquid Web for HIPAA Hosting?

• Approved BAA: Liquid Web offers a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) , a legally binding contract between them and you, showing their commitment to protecting PHI and meeting HIPAA requirements. Their HIPAA hosting also provides SOC 2 and SOC 3 certifications.
• HIPAA-Compliant Security: Liquid Web’s HIPAA hosting is reinforced with robust security measures, including firewalls, VPNs, and an intrusion detection system. They also use state-of-the-art security systems for their facilities and data centers, including round-the-clock manned security, closed-circuit security cameras, and electronic perimeter access card systems, to minimize the risk of loss and theft.
• Reliable Infrastructure: Liquid Web offers uptime and fast performance, which is critical for healthcare organizations. They also use advanced fireproof infrastructure and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to safeguard data from destruction and ensure the smooth operation of security systems.
• 24/7 Expert Support and Monitoring: Liquid Web also provides 24/7 expert support that can resolve both technical and healthcare issues promptly. They also closely monitor for potential problems and address them to protect their clients’ reputations.
• Data Encryption: Liquid Web encrypts sensitive data uploaded into the server to prevent unauthorized access. They also provide encryption for patient payments, patient forms, and other sensitive information.
• Access Controls: Liquid Web secures external entrances into its facilities with mantraps and interlocking doors. They also limit access to the data centers, requiring secure credentials for authorized personnel and complete background checks.
• Regular Backups and Disaster Recovery: Liquid Web also offers robust Acronis backup management solutions that ensure round-the-clock data loss protection in even the most extreme circumstances. They provide continuous backups, backup scheduling, and swift recovery in the case of a catastrophic failure.
• Compliance Audits: Liquid Web carries out regular compliance audits to ensure adherence to HIPAA regulations. The frameworks and regulations often monitored during HIPAA audits include Safe Harbor, SOC 3, SOC 2 SSAE-22, PCI DSS, GDP, Swiss-US Privacy Shield Framework, and EU-US Privacy Shield Framework.

HIPAA Compliant Hosting FAQs

What is HIPAA hosting?

HIPAA-compliant hosting refers to hosting with infrastructure and safeguards specifically designed to meet the security and privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regarding the storage and transmission of protected health information (PHI).

Is Liquid Web HIPAA hosting compliant?

Liquid Web is one of the best HIPAA-compliant hosting solutions for WordPress users. Liquid Web features include high-security facilities, data centers, segregated servers, entry security–access controls, firewalls, remote VPNs, real-time intrusion detection, compliance monitoring and audits, etc.

Does HIPAA hosting require a firewall?

HIPAA regulations did not specifically mention the use of firewalls to protect patients’ data. However, since the primary function of firewalls is to filter traffic entering and exiting the network and prevent unauthorized access or suspicious traffic, hosting providers handling sensitive data for healthcare organizations must set up firewalls for protection.

How do you make a website HIPAA-compliant?

HIPAA guidelines are silent regarding the compliance of websites. However, you must protect patients’ data, regardless of the storage method. Therefore, you must make your website HIPAA compliant by using secure hosting, data encryption, protected forms, and role-based access control, among other measures.

Can WordPress be HIPAA compliant?

You can make WordPress websites handling protected health information HIPAA-compliant by hosting them in a HIPAA-compliant hosting environment, such as the hosting provided by Liquid Web.

Is a VPN required for HIPAA?

A VPN is not a requirement for HIPAA, technically. However, it plays a vital role in protecting patients’ privacy while sending and receiving data.

What does PHI mean?

PHI stands for Protected Health Information. It is any information in the medical record regarding a person’s medical history that can be used or disclosed in the course of providing healthcare services, such as diagnosis or treatment.

Conclusion

HIPAA hosting is a criterion in the healthcare industry’s IT infrastructure. The healthcare industry handles sensitive patient data, making it a primary target for cyber attacks. To ensure the security of patients’ data and compliance with HIPAA guidelines, healthcare practitioners must host their websites with a reputable HIPAA-compliant hosting provider. Liquid Web happens to be an excellent choice for healthcare organizations looking for a trusted hosting partner. They are BAA-approved and provide advanced infrastructure, enhanced physical and digital security, and expert support.