Data centers provide the structure and systems needed for data-related tasks such as data processing and storage. Various industries use such centers to ensure seamless, secure data-related operations. In particular, healthcare organizations use them for numerous reasons, including to house medical-related files that contain protected health information (PHI).
Like other healthcare business associates that process PHI for health professionals, healthcare data centers must be HIPAA compliant.
Read about: Where are the Paubox data centers?
Data centers provide controlled environments that ensure the availability, security, and efficiency of a business’ data and applications. They are needed by different types of industries, such as healthcare, that rely on storing and processing large amounts of data. That is because they let organizations store data securely while scaling their operations and guaranteeing uninterrupted access to critical information.
These centers consist of several components needed to ensure their systems run smoothly:
Data centers can also support cloud computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and other emerging technologies that require advanced computational power and storage capacity. The provider of a data center would be responsible for the infrastructure that supports and holds the data. Therefore, they would have to safeguard the data that flows through their systems with strong physical and/or technical security controls.
Data centers can be classified based on ownership, purpose, and services offered. The most common types of data centers are:
In summary, data centers are run by individual organizations for themselves or by third-party organizations in a physical building or on the cloud.
Data centers enable efficient, secure, and compliant healthcare data management. They support various applications critical for patient care, research, and operational efficiency. Examples of healthcare tasks that data centers can perform include:
Related topic: HIPAA compliant email: The definitive guide
The HIPAA Act is U.S. legislation that protects the rights and privacy of patients by introducing healthcare standards. HIPAA compliance is required by organizations and individuals who handle PHI. Since data centers that work for healthcare organizations work with PHI (physical or electronic (ePHI)), providers must ensure that they are HIPAA compliant.
First, health-related data centers would be classed as business associates and would need to sign a business associate agreement (BAA). A business associate is an individual or entity that performs specific functions or provides services on behalf of a healthcare covered entity. A BAA, therefore, would state the business associate’s responsibilities and hold it liable for any related HIPAA violation.
Second, to be HIPAA compliant, a data center would need to implement strong technical, physical, and administrative safeguards under the HIPAA Security Rule. Such safeguards would guarantee the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI.
Learn more: Preventing HIPAA violations
To understand what data security is needed, the provider should start with a risk assessment that establishes threats and vulnerabilities. Such an analysis would give organizations the means to enact appropriate protections. As data centers handle sensitive and valuable data for healthcare organizations, physical and technical security is a top priority.
Physical security measures, such as access controls, surveillance systems, and biometric authentication, would protect data centers from unauthorized access. Technological (cybersecurity) measures, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and data encryption, would safeguard electronic data from external threats. Other types of safeguards to possibly implement include:
Maintaining HIPAA compliance is an ongoing process that requires vigilance, particularly when dealing with third-party business associates such as data centers.
Read also: Data management in healthcare systems
HIPAA compliance is crucial to protecting patient privacy, securing sensitive health information, avoiding legal penalties, and maintaining trust with patients and stakeholders.
Penalties for noncompliance can range from monetary fines to criminal charges, depending on the severity and circumstances of the violation. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can impose penalties, which can range from $1307 to $68,928 per violation, with a maximum annual penalty of $2,067,813.
The future of data centers will be characterized by advancements in technologies like AI, 5G, and quantum computing, driving the need for more powerful and efficient data centers.