The answer to this question in the past was probably no one. Why? Because HIPAA prior to the HITECH Act was a dead letter, a law that was on the books but essentially not enforced Although HHS' enforcement efforts under HITECH has not been very agressive to date (understatement) that is something that is likely to change. The U.S. government will be handing out millions (if not billions) of dollars in EHR incentives and simpy cannot afford to look the other way regarding privacy and security.
Cybersecurity is becoming a big deal in Washington and the recent attacks will likely add fuel to the fire. In short, in the 21st century privacy and security are consumer issues that refuse to go away. The healthcare industry has largely gotten a pass so far, but there is no way that this status quo can be maintained.
So who needs HIPAA Compliance Software? The answer to this question now is all business associates and covered entities. There is simply no way that legacy manual methods of tracking HIPAA Compliance will suffice. Spreadsheets and other documents standing alone will also not get the job done. The bottom line is that HIPAA Compliance Software, like a high quality EHR, will become a cost of doing business. Taking an ostrich approach to the problem will only defer the pain.
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If you need tools that will help with your compliance initiatives then check out the HSG Store. Do you need an Internet Lawyer with HITECH / HIPAA experience?
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