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Abyde Partners with the Echo Group to Expand HIPAA Compliance Among Behavioral Health Providers

November 12, 2020 Comments Off on Abyde Partners with the Echo Group to Expand HIPAA Compliance Among Behavioral Health Providers

November 12, 2020 November 12, 2020, Tampa, FL – Abyde has announced a new partnership with The Echo Group, an EHR and billing platform for behavioral health practices, delivering Abyde’s Industry leading HIPAA compliance software solution to The Echo Group’s users. This partnership expands Abyde’s solution further into the behavioral health industry, continuing to revolutionize HIPAA compliance and serve as a premier educational resource to mental and behavioral health providers. The Echo Group’s users will now have access to the necessary tools and support to implement a complete HIPAA compliance program, especially important as annual deadlines for HIPAA compliance requirements approach.  Abyde’s software solution is the easiest way for any sized behavioral health practice to implement and sustain comprehensive HIPAA compliance programs. The revolutionary approach to HIPAA compliance guides providers through mandatory HIPAA requirements such as the Security Risk Analysis, HIPAA training for doctors and staff, managing Business Associate Agreements, customized policies and more. “We know that HIPAA compliance is a common gap among providers, and we’re thrilled to continue expanding across industries. This partnership will help more behavioral health practices alleviate the stressors of trying to comply with complex HIPAA requirements,” said Matt DiBlasi, President of Abyde. “HIPAA compliance is essential for any practice’s success, especially now, and we are honored to be a part of The Echo Groups offerings.” “When we saw Abyde’s solution, we knew our users would benefit from industry-leading resources and simplicity Abyde provides. We are always focused on the ever-changing needs of our users, and we know that joining forces with Abyde will streamline HIPAA requirements they may be struggling to meet,”  said Allan Normandin, CEO of The Echo Group, “We are excited to work together to provide comprehensive tools to both implement and maintain a complete HIPAA compliance program.”   About Abyde Abyde (Tampa, FL) is a technology company dedicated to revolutionizing HIPAA compliance for medical professionals. Launched in January 2017, Abyde was formed with the idea that there could exist an easier, more cost-effective way for healthcare providers to comply with government-mandated HIPAA regulations. For more information on Abyde visit abyde.com. About The Echo Group  The Echo Group, privately held since 1980, revolutionized electronic health records in the behavioral health industry with EchoVantage, the only EHR featuring a visual continuum of care timeline. EchoVantage is a core, integrated EHR platform with a complete suite of tools designed to conform to your workflow, meet compliance requirements, and increase productivity, enabling you to spend more time putting your clients.  The Echo Group is located in Conway, New Hampshire, with an additional office in California. Echo has more than 80 employees dedicated to making the best behavioral health technology in the industry. Read the full press release here.  

Best Practices, HIPAA

My EHR system makes me HIPAA compliant, right?

July 16, 2020 Comments Off on My EHR system makes me HIPAA compliant, right?

July 16, 2020 Let’s face it, in today’s digital age, it’s tough to find a medical practice that doesn’t utilize an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. Even if you were late to the game and just recently made the switch, the use of EHRs in doctor’s offices nearly doubled between 2009 and 2017, to almost 86% of providers. One of the biggest qualifications for any EHR system is that it meets all HIPAA compliance requirements to protect the sensitive patient data held within it. But is that where HIPAA compliance begins and ends?  A common misconception many providers have, however, is that implementing a HIPAA compliant EHR ensures their practice is in compliance with all standards  – instead, it’s just one piece of the much larger puzzle. Make no mistake, having a HIPAA compliant EHR is essential. There are a number of safeguards that should be implemented to protect your EHR’s electronic data, such as:  While these safeguards are key, there are other HIPAA requirements that go beyond the security of your EHR software and impact your practice’s operations, physical accessibility, and all technology used within the organization – including IT networks and other applications not included in your EHR software. That’s why the Security Risk Analysis’ three sections – administrative, physical, and technical safeguards – are so essential to ensure every aspect of your business’ risk is assessed. Even non-HIPAA experts can conclude that having a HIPAA compliant EHR system is a no brainer. But missing all, or even just some, of the other pieces to the puzzle puts your practice and your patients at high risk. In fact, within  Abyde’s Security Risk Analysis, only 10% of the questions pertain to your EHR system. Whether with Abyde, internally, or with another vendor – it’s essential to review the other 90% of your necessary safeguards before getting slammed with a HIPAA violation.