{"id":23891,"date":"2023-04-26T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/?p=23891"},"modified":"2023-04-26T04:50:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T04:50:50","slug":"us-healthcare-laws-for-healthcare-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/us-healthcare-laws-for-healthcare-app\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build HIPAA Compliant Mobile App? Explore Top Healthcare Laws &#038; Regulations Applying to Your Healthcare App in the USA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">This is the most simplified blog ever written on developing a HIPAA-compliant mobile and web app.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And here is what you\u2019ll gain from this blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A complete understanding of the US healthcare laws and regulations<\/li><li>Find the right healthcare laws that apply to your healthcare app idea.<\/li><li>Our HIPAA-compliant app development execution (which we have been performing for <strong>8+ years.<\/strong>)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let\u2019s come straight to the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>A quick overview of US Healthcare laws and regulations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the first and crucial step in order to build a HIPAA compliant mobile and web app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Because understanding healthcare laws and regulations is essential \u2013 if you want to make your healthcare app compliant with all the data privacy and security laws.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">1) Who regulates the healthcare industry?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The USA is one of the largest and most flourishing healthcare industries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But jumping into it is not as easy as it sounds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Multiple healthcare laws and federal approval make it one of the toughest tasks to launch any healthcare app in the US market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Healthcare laws in the USA apply to Health Information Technology (HIT), mobile health, personalized prescriptions, wearable technology, and telehealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to regulating the US healthcare industry, three government bodies play a major role.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These government bodies are,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Office of Civil Rights (OCR)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">2) What are the top healthcare laws in the USA?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should adhere to relevant healthcare law(s) if your healthcare mobile app collects, creates, and shares consumer information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following are the top 4 healthcare laws applicable in the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Laws.png\" alt=\"Top healthcare laws in the USA\" class=\"wp-image-31782\" width=\"540\" height=\"405\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><strong>How to build a HIPAA-compliant mobile and web app in the USA?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Developing a HIPAA-compliant healthcare app is not rocket science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">What you simply need to do is \u2013 identify the healthcare laws and regulations that apply to your healthcare mobile and web app idea.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you are aware of it, just keep those laws in mind during the app development process \u2013 rather say, the coding lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">We\u2019ve listed out a few questions that will help you identify the healthcare laws that apply to your healthcare mobile app.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 1: Do you create, receive, and save the personal information of patients?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If Yes,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to Question 2 to know if HIPAA applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If No,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA does not apply. (But the FD&amp;C Act might apply. Go to Question 5 to verify.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 2: Are you a healthcare provider?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If Yes,&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA applies. (Go to Question 5 to see if the FD&amp;C Act also applies.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If No,&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA might apply. (Go to Question 3 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 3: Is it mandatory for users to have a prescription to access your app?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If Yes,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA applies. (The FD&amp;C Act might apply as well. Go to Question 5 to verify.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA might apply. (Go to Question 4 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><strong>Question 4: Are you developing this app on behalf of the hospital, doctor\u2019s office, or health insurer?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If Yes,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/tips-advice\/business-center\/guidance\/mobile-health-apps-interactive-tool#business_associate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HIPAA Business Associate<\/span><\/span><\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, you are subject to HIPAA Security Rule and HIPAA Privacy and Breach Notification Rules.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule does not apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(The FD&amp;C Act might apply as well. Go to Question 5 to verify.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA does not apply.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule might apply. Go to Question 9 to validate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(But the FD&amp;C Act might apply. Go to Question 5 to verify.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 5: Are the diagnosis of a disease, its treatment, and prevention of disease major uses of your app?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If Yes,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your app is a medical device.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, the FD&amp;C Act applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Go to Question 6 to see if the FDA gives you an exception.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The FD&amp;C Act does not apply.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(But the FTC Act might apply. Go to Question 8 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 6: Does your app fall under the \u201cminimal risk\u201d category?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">If Yes,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FD&amp;C Act does not apply.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(FDA gives you an exception.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your app is falling under the \u2018minimal risk\u2019 category,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If it is helping users to manage their healthcare condition by themselves without offering treatment suggestions.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If it is offering very straightforward tools to users to keep an eye on their health information and track it.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If it is automating day-to-day tasks for healthcare providers.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If it is facilitating users or healthcare providers to interact with the EHR system.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FD&amp;C act applies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Go to Question 7 to see if the FDA still gives you an exception.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 7: Is your app a mobile medical app?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If Yes,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FDA gives you an exception.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(But the FTC Act might apply. Go to Question 8 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your mobile app falls under the mobile medical app category,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If it acts as an accessory to a regulated medical device.<\/li><li>If it transfers the mobile device into a regulated medical device such as a glucose meter.<\/li><li>If it analyzes data from another medical device.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please contact the FDA at mobilemedicalapps@fda.hhs.gov to validate whether FDA Act applies or not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(FTC Act might apply as well. Go to Question 8 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Question 8: Are you a nonprofit organization?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If Yes,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The FTC Act does not apply.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(But FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule might apply. Go to Question 9 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The FTC Act Applies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule might apply as well. Go to Question 9 to validate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><strong>Question 9: Are you providing health records directly to customers?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If Yes,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule does not apply.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(You don\u2019t have to now answer Question 10.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>If No,<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule might apply. Go to Question 10 to validate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>What are the US Healthcare laws and regulations?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">1. HIPAA Act<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA talks about healthcare compliance rules in 4 major categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HIPAA Privacy Rule<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/hipaa\/for-professionals\/privacy\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">HIPAA Privacy Rule<\/span><\/a> ensures the privacy of the personal information of patients and their family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It makes it compulsory for healthcare providers to put strict measures in effect to collect, share and save the ePHI safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HIPAA Privacy Rule also sets limits on the uses and disclosures of data without the permission of users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This rule enables users to examine and obtain a copy of their health records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HIPAA Security Rule<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/hipaa\/for-professionals\/security\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">HIPAA Security Rule<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"> <\/span>promotes the technical and physical measures to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic PHI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HIPAA Breach Notification Rule<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/hipaa\/for-professionals\/breach-notification\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">HIPAA Breach Notification Rule<\/span><\/a>, healthcare providers must identify the data breach and provide notification or make affected users, the Secretary of HHS, and even the media (in some cases) familiar with the breach incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The HHS has developed an <a href=\"https:\/\/ocrportal.hhs.gov\/ocr\/breach\/wizard_breach.jsf?faces-redirect=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">online portal<\/span><\/span><\/a> to submit the breach incident details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HIPAA Omnibus Rule<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3804103\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">HIPAA Omnibus rule<\/span><\/a> was finalized by HHS in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the rule, business associates are now directly liable for any non-compliance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also controls the use of ePHI for marketing purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/CTA-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31784\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">2. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&amp;C Act)<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6615584\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">FD&amp;C Act<\/span><\/a> is enforced by the FDA.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It governs the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and mobile apps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The aim to enforce this rule is to ensure that all medical devices which include mobile apps are safe for public use.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FDA has developed a category named the mobile medical app.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if your app is a mobile medical app, your app does not fall under this jurisdiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">3. Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act)<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/topics\/protecting-consumer-privacy-security\/privacy-security-enforcement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">FTC Act<\/span><\/a> is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It restricts false claims over the app\u2019s safety, privacy, and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, it defines regulatory protocols to cope with unfair claims in businesses and issues related to privacy and general data security challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">4. FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/legal-library\/browse\/rules\/health-breach-notification-rule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule<\/span><\/a> makes it mandatory for healthcare providers to provide notifications if they encounter a data breach.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Under the FTC\u2019s Health Breach Notification Rule, healthcare providers who experience a data breach must notify the affected individuals, media, and FTA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This rule does not apply to healthcare providers covered by HIPAA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This Rule requires the personal health record vendors and their related entities to notify consumers about a breach involving unsecured information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, if a service provider connected to any entity encounters a data breach, he\/she must notify the entity resulting in them notifying the consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read our latest blog covering the actions taken by the FTC on encountering data breaches <a href=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.com\/health-industry-reponse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">here<\/span><\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><strong>How do we build HIPAA-compliant mobile and web apps?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Based in Ontario, we are a healthcare-focused IT company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, we only entertain healthcare IT projects for startups, hospitals, clinics, organizations, and individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">What distinct us from the rest is that \u2013 we accommodate dedicated compliance experts for each project we perform.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And our lead compliance specialist has designed a result-oriented plan to build HIPAA-compliant mobile apps in the USA, Canada, and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following is the entire process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">1. Identifying the scope<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We first determine the need for HIPAA compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It may include \u2013 technical, administrative, and physical safeguards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">2. <strong>Asset location, asset identification, and risk analysis<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to have a clear understanding of the scale of healthcare app infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without knowing it \u2013 it is almost impossible to identify how much control your app requires to protect your app against cyber attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this step helps us to identify each security loophole your app possesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">3. Implementation<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, our HIPAA compliance experts work with the developers&#8217; team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They keep their bulls-eyes open during the entire development lifecycle along with ensuring that all your technical and administrative compliance requirements are met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">4. Compliance auditing<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a method to ensure,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A successful implementation<\/li><li>Achieved safety standards<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once this audit is done, you can claim that your mobile or web app is HIPAA compliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">5. Risk assessment<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Healthcare apps are always surrounded by cyber criminals \u2013 there is no doubt about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, it is important to perform a risk assessment regularly to identify and fulfill the security gaps in your app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach adds an extra layer of security to your app and enables you to avoid data breaches and hefty fines from the federal government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Execution.png\" alt=\"Build HIPAA compliant mobile and web app\" class=\"wp-image-31783\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><strong>What is the importance of developing a HIPAA-compliant mobile and web app?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two major reasons why healthcare regulations are so important for healthcare app development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Prosperous industry<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as the data is concerned, healthcare is the most prosperous industry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the personal information of patients and their family members, a healthcare device, mobile app, or software collects sensitive financial information of the patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The large number of people who access healthcare services and share their crucial personal and financial information also makes it important to impose rules to ensure data security and data privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">A soft target<\/span><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Though the healthcare industry is one of the late adopters of modern technologies, they adopted them rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the rapid adoption, it failed to address the gray area of the technologies which resulted in a lack of cybersecurity and even IT system knowledge among users interacting with those modern technologies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such users are the greatest threat to healthcare data and the greatest gift to intruders!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>7 Steps for Applying HIPAA to your mobile and web app<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">1. Get access control<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your app should impose restrictions on who can alter and see patients&#8217; confidential information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No one should see more than the required patient information according to HIPAA Privacy Rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">2. A secure entity or person authentication<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to be aware of your employees having access to PHI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Authentication methods for developing HIPAA-compliant software are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Personal Identification Number (PIN)<\/li><li>Password\u00a0<\/li><li>Biometrics<\/li><li>Physical methods for distinguishing proof<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">3. Ensure transmission security<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It ensures the transmission of PHI over the app network is always encrypted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a unique algorithm, it encrypts the PHI into a series of characters that will require a decryption key when accessing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should try using it for all your communication that contains PHI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">4. Use proper disposal method for PHI<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the HIPAA software requirements is PHI disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure no PHI copies are in any backup or they cannot be disposed of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should have preventive measures to avoid prohibited PHI disclosures and uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">5. Ensure storage and data backup<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid data loss, you\u2019ll be required to have a timely backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, the backup is located on another data center server making it the only way to ensure maximum data security on the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">6. Evaluate audit controls<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Audits are a great and essential way for HIPAA compliance software development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If audit controls are absent then, your application may get higher fines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should be aware of all the sensitive information-related operations with your mobile or web app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">7. Use encryption<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To protect patient data, encryption is one of the key methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It not only guarantees data integrity but also allows data transmission without risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cryptography, the science behind the security of messages, is the base of encryption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, encryption is not just limited to personal correspondence and character conversion. It is widely used in the healthcare business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Encryption ensures that the transmitted data is secure and safe from the eyes of hackers and intruders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><strong>How does a healthcare compliance consultant navigate you for developing HIPAA-compliant mobile and web apps?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What does the government do? \u2013 Tell you to follow regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What does a healthcare compliance consultant do? \u2013 <span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Show you the methods to follow regulations!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Healthcare laws implementation is more important than understanding healthcare laws.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should not only understand the HIPAA privacy laws.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">But you need to develop the healthcare app in such a way that it ensures data privacy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\">A healthcare compliance consultant carries out a deep-dive analysis of your app, finds security gaps, and assists the development team to fill those gaps to develop a HIPAA-compliant healthcare app.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, we would like to share a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/healthcare-app-regulations-canada\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>case study<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a> that talks about how our healthcare compliance teams helped a development firm to identify and fill 47 security gaps in the healthcare app!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You must also read: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/hire-hipaa-consultant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"color:#7b68ee\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How to Hire Best HIPAA Compliance Consultant in USA, Canada?<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is the most simplified blog ever written on developing a HIPAA-compliant mobile and web app. And here is what you\u2019ll gain from this blog. A complete understanding of the US healthcare laws and regulations Find the right healthcare laws that apply to your healthcare app idea. Our HIPAA-compliant app development execution (which we have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Build a HIPAA-Compliant Mobile &amp; Web App in the USA?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore top healthcare laws &amp; regulations that apply to your healthcare app idea in the USA &amp; know how to build HIPAA-compliant mobile &amp; web apps using the same laws.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/us-healthcare-laws-for-healthcare-app\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Build HIPAA-Compliant Mobile App\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Which healthcare law should you follow?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/us-healthcare-laws-for-healthcare-app\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SyS Creations - IT Management, Compliance &amp; Consulting Company in Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-04-26T03:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-04-26T04:50:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-Image-1-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Build HIPAA-Compliant Mobile App\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Which healthcare law should you follow?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"SyS Creations - IT Management, Compliance &amp; Consulting Company in Canada\",\"description\":\"SyS Creations - IT Management, Compliance &amp; Consulting Company in Canada\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/us-healthcare-laws-for-healthcare-app\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-Image-1-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.syscreations.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Blog-Image-1-1.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"How to Build HIPAA Compliant Mobile App? 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