HIPAA Compliance and Business Associate Agreements
image via Creative Commons For some businesses faxing on a regular basis, security and regulations play a role in determining which provider to use. That’s especially true for medical fields, which must comply with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). While several several online fax service providers provide HIPAA-compliant services, only some enter into what’s called a Business Associate Agreement. So what does your business need to know about Business Associate Agreements if you’re looking for a HIPAA-compliant service? What a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement Does A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is a contract between a HIPAA covered entity – any organization or business that handles personal health information – and a business associate, which means any organization or person providing services to the HIPAA entity. The BAA ensures that the business associate (for instance, a fax provider) is accountable for protecting the personal health…