American United Home Care is a full-service home healthcare agency that employs hundreds of skilled medical and administrative professionals. The company’s mission is to provide the highest quality of care to all its clients. So when looking for a partner to help ensure HIPAA compliance, the bar was set high.
The Challenge
“The challenge was twofold,” says Client Manager. “Firstly, being a healthcare organization, we needed support with our compliance from a regulatory perspective. Secondly, we needed to put appropriate systems in place that would allow us to operate efficiently.”
In accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), all healthcare organizations are required to maintain high standards of integrity and security in managing patient records. This includes undertaking a formal HIPAA assessment to identify possible vulnerabilities and establish secure procedures. Failing to comply can lead to heavy penalties, so working with a quality partner to ensure compliance is of paramount importance.
“We interviewed about five different IT solutions providers,” says Client Manager. “We felt that the CyberDuo team was the most buttoned-up and had shown us a high level of service during the interview phase. They had experience with healthcare providers, which was important given our unique needs. Then, the last quality that stood out was their confidence. Their team seemed knowledgeable and able to help us.”
The Solution
CyberDuo was brought in initially to implement a full HIPAA assessment, but the project grew to encompass a full security check of all network vulnerabilities. When the resulting report was delivered, CyberDuo was hired to implement all recommendations.
This work included installing a new, next-generation firewall, implementing secure wifi and tightening the way cloud resources are used and accessed. CyberDuo also created clear strategies meeting both regulations and security recommendations on an ongoing basis.
CyberDuo now manages security and daily IT operations and has implemented security awareness training on-site for all staff.
The Results
The project has proved to be a great success, not just in terms of compliance, but also operational efficiency. Client Manager says:
“We’ve been able to move our internal communications online. Before, it wasn’t happening on the Internet but was more manual. Almost the entire organization has transitioned into the system, which has been one milestone. Also, Cyber Duo has been able to make sure we meet all regulations from an IT perspective. Around the office, the team has made sure everyone has the tools needed to do their jobs.”
Cyber Duo has transitioned communications onto a digital product and ensured systems remain compliant with industry standards. The team also integrated tools to enable secure communication and provided supplemental resources to resolve challenges quickly, supporting continued partnerships.
“More than anything, they have provided a really good level of service,” says Client Manager. “I’ve never had to wait for more than a couple of minutes for a reply. When we’ve given them a call, Cyber Duo will get somebody to solve the problem whether in person or over the phone. I would certainly recommend Cyber Duo!”