Encryption at Rest for HIPAA Compliance

Anne O’Connor provides highly respected legal advice to pregnancy centers across the country.  According to Anne O’Connor with NIFLA, a pregnancy center which does not bill or communicate electronically with health plans is not currently required to comply with HIPAA, however it is important for the center to check their state law as well. Anne goes on to say it is considered best practice to voluntarily follow applicable guidelines established by HIPAA as part of risk management.

Missy Clifton is the owner of Learning Is Created and a certified HIPAA professional. She provides compliance training, both HIPAA and OSHA, to equip pregnancy centers and other pro-life organizations. In regard to HIPAA, she serves four types of centers. First, centers that are HIPAA covered entities and are required to comply with HIPAA. Second, centers that are in states that require them to comply with HIPAA, Texas for example. Third, centers who have contractual obligation to comply with HIPAA, and fourth, centers who operate in accordance with HIPAA to understand and maintain the confidentiality and security of the sensitive patient data they create, use, and maintain. State and federal legal landscapes are evolving, and it is her mission to ensure the safety of centers regarding compliance.

Jor-El Godsey with Heartbeat International notes that confidentiality and privacy of information has been a hallmark of the pregnancy help movement from its inception. Our collective commitment is captured in the national standard of ethical practices called, “Our Commitment of Care and Competence” found here: https://www.heartbeatinternational.org/about-us/commitment-of-care.