Cyber Security Blog

Its All About Ethics

Comparison of HIPAA and GDPR Compliance

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) are essential data privacy and security regulations. While HIPAA primarily focuses on healthcare-related data protection in the United States, GDPR is a comprehensive regulation that protects personal data across the European Union and beyond.

HIPAA: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is the federal law enacted in the US in 1996. It primarily focuses on the protection and privacy of individually identifiable health information.

GDPR: GDPR (General Data Protection Policy) is a comprehensive data protection policy that applies to personal data processing in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It is effective since May 25, 2018, with the goal of strengthening data protection and giving individuals more control over how their data is collected, processed, and shared.

Here’s a comparison of HIPAA and GDPR compliance:

HIPAA GDPR
Scope HIPAA governs protected health information (PHI) kept or communicated in the United States by covered organizations (healthcare givers, healthcare clearinghouses and health plans) and their partners. GDPR governs the processing of individuals’ data within the European Union and transferring personal data outside the EU.
Definition of Personal Data Personal health information (PHI) is defined under HIPAA as individually identifiable health information kept or spread by a covered entity or its business affiliates. Personal information is defined under the GDPR as any data associated with an identified or identifiable natural individual, such as a person’s name, address, email, identity numbers, online identifiers, or genetic and biometric data.
Legal Basis HIPAA does not require specific consent for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. However, it requires covered companies to acquire written permission for additional reasons. Before processing individuals’ data, GDPR generally requires acquiring their explicit agreement. Other legal bases for processing are also provided, such as contract fulfilment, legal requirements, defending vital interests, performing tasks in the public interest, or valid interests pursued by the data controller or a third party.
Data Subject Rights Individuals have several rights under HIPAA, including the right to access their PHI, request corrections, receive a consideration of disclosures, and request restrictions on using and sharing their PHI. Individuals have many rights under GDPR, including access to personal data, request rectification or erasure, restrict processing, object to processing, and data portability.
Breach Notification During a breach of unsecured PHI impacting 500 or more individuals, covered entities must notify affected persons, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and, in certain situations, the media within a set timeframe. In the event of an unsecured PHI breach affecting 500 or more people, covered entities must notify impacted people, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and, in some cases, the media within a specific timeframe.
Penalties HIPAA violations can result in substantial civil monetary sanctions, ranging from $100 to $50,000 per violation, with the highest yearly penalty of $1.5 million per violation category. GDPR breach can lead to penalties of up to €20 million or 4% of the company’s worldwide yearly turnover, whichever is higher.

While both HIPAA and GDPR aim to protect individuals’ privacy and regulate the handling of sensitive data, they have different scopes, legal bases, and enforcement mechanisms. Organizations in the US and the EU must comply with both regulations when dealing with healthcare data and personal information.

Why choose Valency Networks for Cyber Security?
We claim to be the ultimate defender in the realm of cyber security. Allow us to give a brief overview to support our claim:

  • Expertise: Valency Network has worked with the world’s top IT service and product companies to implement HIPAA and GDPR. We have customers worldwide, and they rate us as the leading Cyber Security Company for our dedication and subject matter expertise.
  • Comprehensive Solutions: Valency Networks offers a complete suite of cybersecurity services comprising Risk Assessment, Risk Compliance, Risk Management and Risk Solutions. We deliver cutting-edge solutions in the areas of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing services for IT Networks, Web apps, cloud apps, mobile apps and IoT/OT networks. We also provide Cyber Security Consultancy Services, Compliance Implementations and Cyber Security Auditing Services for ISO27001, FISMA, HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2, PCI-DSS, Cyber Essentials, PIPEDA, TISAX and so forth.
  • Innovation: Valency Networks uses the latest technology and innovative approaches to address emerging challenges in the ever-evolving cyber landscape.
  • Reputation: Recognized as one of India’s top cyber security companies, we have been accoladed as “The Top Cyber Security Company of India” for our excellence in delivering effective and reliable security solutions.
  • Client-Focused Approach: We take our customer data security very seriously, which has helped us establish ourselves as a country’s top cyber security expert by gaining our customer’s trust and loyalty. We work closely with clients, catering to their needs and ensuring maximum protection and assurance.

Hence, regarding cyber security, Valency Networks is the trusted armour that safeguards your business, allowing you to navigate the digital world confidently.

How Valency Network can help you protect your personal information?
Valency Networks provides robust security solutions and cutting-edge technologies to keep your data safe and sound. Through comprehensive vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, we identify vulnerabilities in your systems and applications and provide actionable insights to strengthen your defences. Valency Networks has also successfully completed HIPAA and GDPR examinations, bringing a uniform, standardized approach to information security systems to cater to clients worldwide.

So, please sit back and relax, knowing that we have your back, protecting your personal information like a trustworthy cyber security expert.

Related Links:

Related Posts