The Practical HIPAA Compliance Checklist for Healthcare SaaS
Building in healthcare doesn't have to be overwhelming. This technical checklist covers everything from data encryption to audit logging.
Building software for the healthcare industry means taking on the serious responsibility of protecting Protected Health Information (PHI). Failing a HIPAA audit can cripple a startup overnight.
The Technical Safeguards
HIPAA doesn't strictly dictate what technology to use, but rather the protections that must exist. Here is what your architecture must include:
1. End-to-End Encryption
Data must be encrypted in transit (using TLS 1.2 or higher) and at rest (using AES-256 database encryption). If you use AWS, ensure EBS volumes and S3 buckets containing PHI have encryption toggled on by default.
2. Strict Access Controls
Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). A billing clerk shouldn't have access to clinical notes. Furthermore, never share login credentials, and enforce MFA across the board.
3. Comprehensive Audit Logging
You must record every time a user accesses a record containing PHI. Who looked at it, when did they look at it, and what exactly did they view? These logs must be tamper-proof and stored separately from your primary database.
Choose the right partners
Ensure that your hosting provider (AWS, GCP) and critical vendors sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). If a vendor refuses to sign a BAA, you cannot legally route PHI through their service.
