Many service providers who deal with Protected Health Information (PHI) have enhanced their HIPAA compliance with a document management system. HIPAA was drafted when most healthcare processes relied on paper charts and physical documents. However, electronic health records (EHRs), are now the standard in many agencies, and continue to increase in popularity in the Human Service Provider (HSP) environment.
Today’s document management systems provide secure document access and efficient document distribution for these records. While HIPAA has updated its guidelines to include policies for EHRs, it still fundamentally operates from an analog perspective. Many document management systems, however, are designed to exceed the most stringent interpretations of HIPAA to ensure that compliance is achieved.
Here are three areas where you can enhance HIPAA compliance with a Document Management System (DMS):
Access control
HIPAA requires that documents containing PHI are only available to those who need to access the information. A DMS can limit who has access to documents or specific information within a document based their security level. Some DMS solutions will automatically redact information on the screen if a user does not have clearance allowing them to see the information they need without violating any privacy rules.
Audit Trail
HIPAA requires agencies to keep proper activity logs for who is accessing PHI. These logs provide an audit trail in the event that a HIPAA violation is suspected. Most document management systems will keep a complete audit log recording what document was accessed, when it was accessed, and who accessed it. Recording into the logs is automatic and secure replacing the written logs.
Privacy
There are times when documents need to be shared outside an agency. Individuals accessing the documents may not have a need for some information on the document and should be restricted. In a paper system, that information would need to be redacted manually which can be time consuming and can result in missed information. Many DMS applications have an automated redaction feature based on different security levels. When preparing a document for distribution, only the security level needs to be identified. The system will automatically redact sensitive data prior to allowing the document to be processed.
A DMS allows documents to be shared in a secure environment increasing staff efficiency, and reducing the risk of exposure to HIPAA violations. These systems are designed to keep mission-critical documents accessible, yet secure, process-ready, and compliant. Contact us at EnnAble Services for more information on how a DMS can help you.
