WebPT Blog - Cloud security
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3 CommentsAug 2, 2012| by Charlotte Bohnett
Today's post comes from WebPT copywriters Charlotte Bohnett and Erica Cohen.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is as dense as it is important. But for any healthcare provider handling private personal health information, which you promised to protect as part of the Health Information Privacy Rule, there are a few things you must know.
First, a little background information on HIPAA: US Congress established the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996. They implemented Title II: Preventing Health Care Fraud and Abuse to protect a patient’s private health information (PHI).
Under this act, all healthcare providers, insurers, and their business associates may only collect, share, or use a patient’s PHI in approved methods and only for the explicit purpose of furthering patient care.
PHI is defined as demographic information; medical history; test and laboratory results; insurance information; and any other data health professionals collect to identify individual patients and determine their appropriate care. -
May 31, 2012| by Charlotte Bohnett
Ever rush back to your house to double-check that you remembered to lock up? You care about security, about having all your belongings safe and sound. So do we. In fact, we’re a bit obsessed. But you can never be too cautious when it comes to your clinic’s data, right?
Enter IO Data Centers, the crème de la crème of data storage. With centers in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona as well as Edison, New Jersey, IO is home to some of the most profitable and security-conscious companies in the world, including us. Not only do we house all your WebPT data here, but we store all our own data, too.
Who is IO?
I’ll let their company video do the talkin’: -
Aug 9, 2011| by Mike Mannheimer
Thank you to everyone who attended our webinar on Cloud technology last week. If you missed the broadcast, you can view the recorded version here at anytime. I wanted to debrief everyone on the highlights of the webinar and also share some of the questions that were asked by attendees.
Here were some of the most common questions about Cloud technology:
- Where is my data stored?
If any of you have used a server-based system in the past, you know that your data was stored underneath your desk or in a closet/private room at your facility. In a cloud-based system, your data is stored in an maximum-security facility complete with armed guards and retina scanning technology.
- How is my data backed up?
The data is backed up regularly and stored in separate, yet equally secure, geographic locations to protect against natural disasters of any kind. In the cloud, your data is protected against flood, fire, burglary, or any other type of unfortunate event that could more easily happen at your clinic. Physical Therapy of Joplin, a WebPT member, was struck by the deadly tornadoes earlier this year. Because their data was stored in our cloud, they were able to recover all their patient information as soon as Internet access was restored.
- What about hackers?
WebPT uses the same SSL encryption that is standard for all online banking applications that you use on a daily basis. The federal government uses this same type of encryption for all of their data and communications. WebPT also employs specialized staff who are well versed in online security measures and who look at ways to further improve security everyday.
- Where is my data stored?
