Atlanta-based RapidFire Tools Inc., a provider of non-invasive IT assessment tools, has released its Network Detective HIPAA Compliance module, a tool that enables IT professionals to automatically prepare technical documents associated with the IT security requirements of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
The Network Detective HIPAA Compliance module is purpose-built for channel pros to make the HIPAA risk analysis and documentation process easier, more thorough, and accurate.
The HIPAA Healthcare Privacy Rule protects all identifiable health information of any type in any medium. All entities covered by its mandates are required to prove that they have taken steps to protect the electronic health information they have possession of or access to. This requirement not only applies to every health and medical organization, but also to the business associates of those organizations, including businesses that maintain or use patient information such as billing or insurance agents, lawyers, and other professionals.
The new Network Detective HIPAA Compliance module streamlines the process for IT pros. to comply with the security aspects of the provision, the module automatically generates the primary documents that covered entities and their business associates are required by law to create and maintain, including:
- The HIPAA Policy and Procedures Document
- The Evidence of HIPAA Policy Compliance Document
- The HIPAA Risk Analysis and Management Plan
- The IT Security Exception Worksheet
The Network Detective HIPAA Compliance module automatically generates these primary reports through its proprietary network and computer scanning tools as well as supplementary data provided by users via questionnaires. Users can edit the reports to include additional information as needed.
The tool also generates the first standardized HIPAA Compliance Risk Score and provides a prioritization of all identified issues, which can be used to form the basis of the HIPAA Management Plan. The main reports are supplemented by a wide range of supporting documents that are automatically generated by the tool, all designed to maximize protection of the user in the event of a government audit.
“The Federal government is cracking down and levying huge fines on organizations that have demonstrated willful neglect when it comes to HIPAA’s requirements,” notes Mike Semel, president, Semel Consulting, and one of the nation’s leading authorities on HIPAA. “Data breaches also result in high costs for notifications, identity theft protection, and lawsuits. Even if there’s not been a breach, organizations are required to perform proper due diligence in protecting electronic patient information, and having written documentation to prove it. The Network Detective HIPAA Compliance module will considerably aid in this process.”
“This is the Holy Grail of tools for IT professionals working on computers and networks utilizing electronic medical records, whether working within the walls of the covered entities, or serving as outsourced IT providers,” says Michael Mittel, president of RapidFire Tools. “The risk of not performing necessary audits is huge for any covered entity and its business associates,” he adds. “But the opportunity associated with the creation of the compliance documentation is also significant, especially for MSPs and service providers with clients and prospects in the healthcare vertical.”
The Network Detective HIPAA Compliance Module is now available for license at www.rapidfiretools.com for an annual subscription of $2,999 per year. The tool is accessed through the same interface as the other four Network Detective IT assessment modules, including one each for general Network Assessments, IT Security Assessments, MS Exchange Assessments, and SQL Server Assessments. Each module is available individually or through bundled annual subscriptions.
