Small Business Guide to HIPAA IT Controls

Healthcare practices and dental offices must protect patient information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For small organisations, compliance can seem daunting, but these core controls will help:

Risk analysis & management

Identify where Protected Health Information (PHI) is stored, processed and transmitted. Assess the likelihood and impact of potential threats, then document mitigation strategies.

Access controls & authentication

Limit PHI access to staff who need it. Implement unique user IDs, strong passwords and multi‑factor authentication. Remove access promptly when staff leave.

Encryption & transmission security

Encrypt PHI at rest and in transit (e.g. using TLS for email and VPN for remote access). Avoid sharing PHI over unencrypted channels.

Audit logs & monitoring

Maintain logs of user activity on systems that handle PHI. Review them regularly for unauthorised access or unusual behaviour.

Security awareness training

Train employees on recognizing phishing emails, securing workstations and reporting incidents.

Incident response & backups

Develop an incident response plan to handle breaches. Use the 3‑2‑1 backup rule (three copies of data, on two different mediums, with one off‑site) and test restores regularly.

Business associate agreements (BAAs)

Ensure vendors that handle your PHI sign BAAs acknowledging their responsibilities to safeguard data.

Documenting policies and procedures is as important as implementing technology. Consider working with an MSP or compliance specialist to keep your safeguards up to date.

← Back to Knowledge Base