Knowledge is everything in cybersecurity compliance, especially in health care, where protecting patient data makes or breaks reputations. Companies that let their compliance knowledge slide put data at risk and expose themselves to regulatory action. But a little learning will ensure that doesn't happen.
Block out some time to relax and pull up your most comfortable chair. It's time to bury yourself in 2024's essential HIPAA reading.
Understanding HIPAA basics
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the main body of health care regulations in the USA. Requirements of the Act include:
Ensuring the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of health data.
Implementing administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to safeguard Protected Health Information (PHI).
Applying access controls and policies to prevent unauthorized disclosure of PHI.
Allowing patients to exercise their rights to access and amend PHI if desired.
HIPAA primarily regulates covered entities. This category includes health providers, health plan vendors, and healthcare clearinghouses. The Act also covers business associates, including IT contractors and billing partners. Any organization that stores or processes PHI must comply with the legislation.
Why securing healthcare data matters
HIPAA compliance is a critical challenge for health providers, health insurance coverage providers, clearinghouses, and other organizations that process protected health information. Non-compliance can lead to fines exceeding $5 million, crippling reputational damage, and even criminal prosecution.
Complying with HIPAA also has positive benefits. HIPAA's security rules help companies refine their cybersecurity setups and protect critical data. Privacy rules encourage providers to take privacy seriously and better serve their customers. Compliance also provides a framework to update technology and policies, streamlining healthcare operations.
Given those factors, it’s sensible to stay informed about HIPAA developments and compliance approaches. The more you know about HIPAA's privacy and security rules, the better placed you will be to avoid compliance penalties and guard patient data. Reading expert opinions is a great way to broaden your knowledge and understand the compliance challenge.
How we chose our best HIPAA reads for 2024
We have sifted through the best contemporary books about HIPAA compliance, following a few best practices to find useful information.
Firstly, we tried to come up with a diverse selection. HIPAA involves data security, privacy, and legal themes; compliance efforts must cover them all. However, we’ve only focused on relevant subjects.
Every book on the list comes from a recognized expert with compliance experience. Most writers work in healthcare auditing and know what companies need to do to achieve HIPAA compliance.
Our list highlights accessible reads. We don’t want to bog you down in jargon or enigmatic analysis.
We’ve also mixed objective textbook-style works with lighter, more popular books. Our list includes meaty HIPAA books and books for flights or lazy weekend afternoons.
Top 11 HIPAA books to read in 2024
“A Concise Guide to HIPAA Compliance”
“Getting Started with HIPAA”
“The Basics of HIPAA Compliance: A Training Manual for Employees”
“HIPAA: A Practical Guide to the Privacy and Security of Health Data”
“Beyond the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Enhancing Privacy, Improving Health Through Research”
“Building a HIPAA-Compliant Cybersecurity Program”
“HIPAA for Healthcare Professionals”
“Navigating HIPAA and HITECH Compliance in Healthcare”
“HIPAA Deskbook: Privacy and Security Regulations With Risk Assessment and Audit Standards”
“How to Avoid HIPAA Headaches: Lessons From Avoidable, Expensive, Embarrassing, and Career-Killing HIPAA Penalties & Data Breaches”
“How HIPAA Can Crush Your Medical Practice 2024 Edition: Why Most Medical Practices Don’t Have a Clue about Cybersecurity or HIPAA and What to Do About It”
Top compliance books for beginners and professionals
“A Concise Guide to HIPAA Compliance” by Lucas M. Slattery
Slattery's book goes back to basics, focusing on the text of regulations and what HIPAA requires. This makes it the ideal companion for general introductions. Readers can cross-reference ideas and themes with actual regulatory texts, clearing up areas of confusion as they go.
Key insights
This guide is based on government regulations and guidance publications, ensuring its content is authoritative and relevant for HIPAA compliance.
It simplifies the tricky rules and laws into easy-to-understand parts, making it accessible to organizations.
There are extra resources listed in the guide to help you fully meet HIPAA standards without spending too much money or time.
Book overview
This book provides the knowledge needed to establish "good faith" compliance, the base level required by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Slattery's work is the ideal way to ensure you consistently meet baseline requirements.
“Getting Started with HIPAA” by Uday O. Pabrai
Pabrai is an expert HIPAA assessor who knows what small organizations must do to achieve compliance. The great thing about this book is how Pabrai describes HIPAA requirements and provides practical solutions. By the end of the book (which isn't too long), you will understand exactly how to secure PHI.
Key insights
"Getting Started with HIPAA" is a practical and solution-focused book that breaks down HIPAA’s guidelines into manageable chunks.
The book talks about important changes affecting patients and medical records.
The author also details the privacy rules for patient and payment information.
Book overview
"Getting Started with HIPAA" simplifies the complex world of HIPAA guidelines, making it much more effortless to understand. It's your go-to guide for grasping the ins and outs of HIPAA legislation with ease.
“The Basics of HIPAA Compliance: A Training Manual for Employees” by G. Edward Bandy
Employee training is a central HIPAA compliance task, but few HIPAA books focus on the issue. Even worse, the regulations themselves are not specific about how to educate staff. However, “The Basics of HIPAA Compliance” has filled that gap with this invaluable guide to HIPAA training.
Key insights
“The Basics of HIPAA Compliance” is a quick training tool for understanding HIPAA regulations, focusing on managing and handling healthcare information.
The book’s glossary of HIPAA terms can help staff members learn the ropes and build their knowledge.
This manual is perfect for initial training, followed by a Q&A session and a training acknowledgment form to document the effort.
Book overview
Designed as an introductory training guide, “The Basics of HIPAA Compliance” lays out the basics of HIPAA compliance for healthcare information management.
This manual is a solid starting point for training and building a more detailed compliance program.
“HIPAA: A Practical Guide to the Privacy and Security of Health Data” by June M. Sullivan and Shannon B. Hartsfield
All of the best HIPAA primers take a practical approach, but few succeed, like Sullivan and Hartsfield. Regularly updated, this guide advises and reassures healthcare providers using grounded information about how to meet regulatory standards.
Key insights
This updated edition is a comprehensive guide for HIPAA newcomers and offers fresh insights for experienced professionals.
Expanded content on the Security Rule, the HITECH Act, and the Breach Notification Rule provide a deeper understanding of HIPAA.
The book offers practical applications and lessons learned over the past 15 years and discusses HIPAA's broad scope.
Book overview
This book blends entry-level HIPAA advice with more advanced knowledge. It can help you start the regulatory journey and build complex security and privacy systems as your needs develop.
“Beyond the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Enhancing Privacy, Improving Health Through Research” by Sharyl J. Nass, Laura A. Levit and Lawrence O. Gostin
Health research is critical for biotech companies and healthcare providers. However, health studies must comply with strict HIPAA requirements. This causes headaches for project managers and may limit researchers' ambitions. This go-to manual explains how to run studies that tick every regulatory box.
Key insights
The book emphasizes the importance of privacy in healthcare to protect patient dignity and prevent harm.
The authors discuss the balance between privacy concerns and health research needs, including the Privacy Rule's impact on research practices.
Compliance stories from the author's experience make it an essential read.
Book overview
“The Beyond HIPAA Privacy Rule” critically examines the HIPAA Privacy Rule. It discusses its effects on health research and suggests recommendations for enhancing privacy protections while facilitating it.
“Building a HIPAA-Compliant Cybersecurity Program” by Eric C. Thompson
HIPAA-compliant organizations need robust cybersecurity controls. Not every provider or insurer has the skills to build controls that meet regulatory standards. Even applying standards like NIST-800 or the Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) can be tricky without outside help. And that's where Thompson's guide comes in.
Key insights
The book clears up foggy HIPAA issues and navigates the path to cybersecurity compliance.
It targets a particular requirement in HIPAA Security's Administrative Safeguards, guiding the creation of a cybersecurity program for compliance.
The author also advises evaluating current risk analysis methods and making urgent improvements if needed.
Book overview
“Building a HIPAA-Compliant Cybersecurity Program” expands beyond basic HIPAA compliance. It shows readers how to build a cybersecurity program to achieve compliance while attempting to protect health information.
“HIPAA for Healthcare Professionals” by Dan Krager and Carole H. Krager
First published in 2004, this HIPAA primer has become a healthcare compliance classic. The emphasis is on learning through easy-to-understand explainers and real-world case studies. Tests help reinforce knowledge as the book progresses.
Key insights
This book is great for anyone in allied health who needs to understand HIPAA as it breaks down HIPAA concepts in simple terms.
It highlights the basics, privacy aspects, and security rules of HIPAA.
It also clears up common misunderstandings about what HIPAA does and doesn't do.
Book overview
After reading this book, you’ll emerge with a robust grounding in HIPAA basics and a desire to know more–the ideal compliance mindset. Make sure you pick up the latest edition for up-to-date insights.
“Navigating HIPAA and HITECH Compliance in Healthcare” by Raymond Calore
Calore, an IT and data security expert, drills down into the technical side of HIPAA without burdening readers with complex language. This book outlines a road map to building information security systems that protect medical records, providing self-assessment questions, checklists, and glossaries.
Key insights
The book talks about the evolution of healthcare regulations in the U.S., leading up to the development of HIPAA and HITECH.
It contains a compliance checklist, self-assessment quizzes, and an action plan for achieving compliance.
The author provides real-world examples of actual breaches and their implications to illustrate key points.
Book overview
The book is a valuable resource for healthcare providers, IT professionals in healthcare, or anyone interested in healthcare regulations. If you have any doubts about what HIPAA demands, Calore has your back.
“HIPAA Deskbook: Privacy and Security Regulations With Risk Assessment and Audit Standards” by A.C. Frew
Frew's textbook is a comprehensive introduction to HIPAA. However, it offers more than the basics. Essential sections explore how to respond to audits from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
The author has included sample information requests, privacy notices, and other core documents. In other words, everything you need to pre-empt regulators and avoid compliance action.
Key insights
The book compiles key HIPAA regulations and official government materials for reliable information.
It provides key updates and tools featuring the Omnibus Regulation, OCR audit standards, and more.
It also includes self-assessment checklists for various HIPAA compliance safeguards.
Book overview
“HIPAA Deskbook” is an essential guide for healthcare providers, privacy officers, and compliance professionals. It is a tangible reference to key HIPAA regulations within easy reach.
“How to Avoid HIPAA Headaches: Lessons From Avoidable, Expensive, Embarrassing, and Career-Killing HIPAA Penalties & Data Breaches” by Mike Semel
Semel's HIPAA guide busts the myths that make HIPAA compliance so daunting. Not only that, but Semel discusses a host of real-world compliance cases. He shows how healthcare providers tripped up, how regulators responded, and how readers can avoid a similar fate.
Key insights
As a noted HIPAA expert, Semel gives examples of violations and the hefty fines that followed, showing the consequences of non-compliance and offering strategies to avoid costly mistakes.
The book highlights the necessity of grasping how HIPAA rules are applied by agencies, not just learning the rules or attending training.
The author stresses the importance of working with business associates who prioritize HIPAA compliance.
Book overview
“How to Avoid HIPAA headaches” is essential reading for those working with medically covered entities or business associates. It helps them understand the real-world implications of HIPAA.
“How HIPAA Can Crush Your Medical Practice 2024 Edition: Why Most Medical Practices Don’t Have a Clue about Cybersecurity or HIPAA and What to Do About It” by Craig Petronella
Don't let the title alarm you. This breezy and right-up-to-date book explains how clinics can implement NIST 800 to strengthen data security. Petronella includes a realistic compliance kit to align lagging privacy setups with HIPAA rules. His enthusiasm means that readers emerge with new-found confidence to secure their systems and protect patient data.
Key insights
The book includes new content from NIST 800-66 for the latest in HIPAA compliance.
It addresses the complexities of maintaining patient record confidentiality amidst growing technology.
It also discusses the increasing strictness of HIPAA regulations against rising cyber threats.
Book overview
Petronella empowers readers with actionable insights on leveraging NIST 800-66 guidelines for HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity in medical practices. He transforms complex challenges into clear, achievable steps, enhancing the protection of patient data against cyber threats.
Accessing additional HIPAA compliance resources
As always, books are just one part of the learning landscape. It makes sense to leverage every available source of knowledge to keep your HIPAA compliance game fresh.
Online HIPAA compliance courses are often valuable. You can organize desk-based one-hour courses for the staff or schedule at-home classes for deeper learning. Webinars are another great option. Often lasting around 90 minutes, they cover cybersecurity, privacy, and OCR audits - with expert input and viewer participation.
It's advisable to check in with regularly updated HIPAA news sources. The HHS website stands out, but visit the AMA's news portal for expert opinions about HIPAA developments.
We also recommend bookmarking learning centers dedicated to compliance and data security. That way, you can search for unfamiliar terms or explore concepts introduced by HIPAA books. For instance, the NordLayer Learning Center hosts many HIPAA compliance articles on critical subjects.
Whatever information sources you use, one thing is true. HIPAA compliance requires comprehensive, robust security and privacy controls. With our help, you can lock down medical records and manage access securely.
