HIPAA, enacted in 1996, is a U.S. federal law designed to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without consent. For a website to be HIPAA-compliant, it must meet specific standards related to data privacy, security, and the integrity of PHI across storage, transmission, and access.
Creating a HIPAA-compliant website requires a comprehensive approach to security and privacy. Implement robust access controls, encryption in transit and at rest, secure communication channels, vendor BAAs where applicable, least-privilege role management, logging/monitoring, and regular patching. Educate your team, maintain thorough documentation and risk assessments, and prepare an incident response plan to protect PHI effectively. Following these steps helps you comply with legal requirements and fosters user trust by demonstrating a real commitment to privacy and security.