Data Security in Case Management: Protecting Sensitive Information
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Case managers have a deep understanding of client needs, which requires them to collect sensitive data about well-being, medical history, financial history, and more. It’s up to nonprofits and organizations to ensure this data remains uncompromised. Sensitive data protection is becoming more and more challenging in the digital age. On average, every 39 seconds a computer with internet access is hacked.

Protecting-Sensitive-Information

Organizations can utilize case management software to lower administrative burden, streamline workflows, and create a centralized center for all client data. However, you must implement secure data storage that’s HIPAA compliant to ensure nothing falls into the wrong hands. In this article, we’ll outline the benefits of virtual case management and security best practices to keep your clients safe. 

Benefits of Virtual Case Management

Virtual case management involves implementing software such as PlanStreet to organize client data. When a platform is easily accessible on the phone or computer, it gives more flexibility to case managers to complete administrative work, allowing them to spend more time on client interactions. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients have accepted virtual case management tools for primary care delivery.

Some of the significant benefits include:

  • Improved Accessibility and Convenience: Clients can use client portals to communicate quickly with their case managers to schedule appointments and services. In turn, case managers can access all the data needed to service clients at their fingertips.
  • Increased Efficiency: Case managers can quickly communicate with one another and other care providers through dashboards, comments, and messaging features, giving everyone real-time case updates.
  • Enhanced Care Coordination: All the data in one place makes it easier for specialists and other providers to get up to speed with a case and address issues.
  • Better Outcomes Through Data-Driven Decision Making: Case managers can use robust data analytics to make better choices about services for their clients.
  • Reduced Costs: Organizations can save on overhead costs. Case management software reduces the need for paper, printers, pens, and more. Additionally, custom workflows make it easier to see which employee has completed each task, reducing redundant work.

Secure Case Management Software Best Practices

The right secure case management software can be an invaluable partner in scaling an organization and better serving your clients’ needs. However, confidential information must be protected through HIPAA-compliant protocols. When choosing your case management software, select an option that allows you to do the following.

1. Develop a Robust Data Security Policy

First, your team must draft a robust data security policy that outlines staff expectations. Creating a policy is a lengthy process, and you must define the objectives, figure out the specific risks for your organization, write out the guidelines, and change as needed to match evolving threats.

The data security policy must meet state, local, and federal regulatory standards. At the very least, the policy must cover:

  • An introduction with the objectives of the policy outlined.
  • A system to classify data based on sensitivity and importance.
  • Defined roles for users related to data security.
  • Access controls that detail procedures of who gets access to each type of data.
  • Compliance requirements for everyone in the company, depending on local, state, and federal jurisdiction.
  • A response plan for when an incident occurs.
  • Guidelines for how to store, transmit, and dispose of data.
  • Expectations on how to share data with vendors and partners.
  • Rules on how these policies will be enforced.

Additionally, a schedule should be maintained for updates and changes to the security policy, ensuring that it never becomes outdated.

2. Choose Software With HIPAA Compliance

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) required the US Department of Health and Human Services to create data privacy regulations. Two different rules came forward:

  • The HIPAA Privacy Rule: national standards to protect medical records and other individually identifiable health information.
  • The HIPAA Security Rule: national standards to protect an individual’s electronic personal health information created, received, used, or maintained by a covered entity. 

Case management software must be compliant with both of these rules to be used by organizations offering coordination of medical services. As a best practice, any case management organization should be HIPAA-compliant. Look for HIPAA and HITRUST security standard compliance when shopping for case management software.

3. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication is a security method that requires users to provide two or more different forms of identification to verify their identity before gaining access to an account, system, or application. MFA uses multiple independent credentials from different categories, including something the user knows (like a password), something the user has (like a smartphone), and something the user is (like a fingerprint). 

MFAs create layered defenses to make it more difficult for hackers to obtain unauthorized access to sensitive data. A study from Microsoft proved that MFA implementation offers outstanding protection, with over 99.99% of MFA-enabled accounts remaining secure during their investigation period. 

You can feel at ease with software like PlanStreet, which utilizes Microsoft Azure to host its systems because of its robust security measures, including proper data encryption.

4. Utilized Role-Based Access Control

Every person in an organization should not have access to all the data. To ensure that proper data access controls are put in place, organizations should utilize a role-based system. RBAC (role-based access control) assigns rights and permissions to roles rather than individual users. 

RBAC improves data security by following the principle of least privilege . This idea comes from the military and means that users should have the lowest level of access privileges required for their specific tasks. Access to client data should be granted on a need-to-know basis and revoked when it no longer applies to a case manager or other employee’s duties. RBAC offers scalability for growing organizations and helps them comply with regulatory requirements.

5. Train Employees on Data Security Protocols

Don’t expect your team to follow data security protocols on their own. Your organization must hold workshops and classes to review the data security policy, ensuring workers know how to use and implement each section. To effectively train employees at your organization, consider the following:

  • Create tailored materials in different formats to match different learning styles. 
  • Focus on core security concepts, such as common security threats and how to handle confidential information.
  • Implement hands-on training, including exercises on how to use case management software securely, simulated phishing tests, and how to implement security measures like user permissions and multi-factor authentication.
  • Share real-world examples of security incidents so that people know how to prepare themselves and what to expect.
  • Offer ongoing education through newsletters and advanced training.

6. Monitor the Infrastructure for Potential Threats

The right software team will offer infrastructure monitoring as a service with the software subscription. This involves keeping a close watch on your organization’s information security risks, noting all threats and vulnerabilities. 

Case management software such as PlanStreet monitors our client’s security regularly, updating our security model to address emerging threats. Additionally, we design and implement a complete set of information security controls as well as other forms of risk treatment to handle risks that are considered unacceptable.

7. Update Software as Frequently as Possible

An unpatched software refers to applications or systems that contain known vulnerabilities that have not been fixed through an update. Unpatched vulnerabilities are responsible for 60% of all data breaches . Organizations must implement updates for case management software as soon as they become available to make it harder for hackers to find and exploit weaknesses.

Ensure Client Data Protection With PlanStreet 

Every organization must follow compliance standards for data security to protect client data. Improve your data privacy with PlanStreet’s HIPAA-compliant case management software. Abandon manual forms and processes and utilize our secure data storage instead. Our policy is that no one other than PlanStreet developers can access clients’ data only when necessary to solve client-related issues.
Learn more about how we can help you follow the cybersecurity best practices in this article and schedule a live demo with our team today.

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