HIPAA AND TAeSESERIES®

TAeSeries® is designed to support a HIPAA compliant environment within a healthcare enterprise.  The TAeSeries® software system is only one component to HIPAA compliance within a healthcare enterprise. To comply with HIPAA, an enterprise must implement, maintain and review a variety of controls, policies and procedures affecting many products and systems, one of which is TAeSeries®.  No single product can ensure complete HIPAA compliance for the enterprise since the HIPAA legislation covers a multitude of enterprise procedures and policies.

From an automated system perspective, there are three main areas that apply to HIPAA compliance:

Security

Auditability

Technology

SECURITY

To be HIPAA compliant, the enterprise must protect the confidentiality of all patient records. To provide a high level of security, an enterprise must have controls in place for the following:

• Electronic Access By User And Password

• Encryption Of Information "Exposed" To The Internet

• Audit Trails Of All Transactions: Listen, View, Edit, Print, Fax, Sign, Etc.

 TAeSeries® utilizes its own security system which is in addition to the security available by Windows networking to control document access.  Each TAeSeries® user has an individual profile which is attached to their user ID. When a user signs on, the TAeSeries® system presents buttons for only those functions authorized by the specific user’s existing profile.  For each new user, the healthcare system administrator develops a customized profile.  For instance, when a nurse signs on, a button to electronically sign does not appear.   When a QA clerk signs on, a button to fax does not appear unless the individual has privileges to fax. The profile can restrict or allow access to on-line viewing, editing, and printing of specific document work types.  Electronic signature via TAeSeries® requires an additional authorization (i.e. PIN number) for access.

AUDITABILITY

TAeSeries® keeps detailed transaction logs of activities including listening, viewing, printing, faxing, editing and signing.  Each time a document is accessed, edited, viewed, printed, or faxed the system posts a transaction of the activity.  Reports are available to designated profiles, typically the system administrator, which include the user ID, activity performed, workstation, time, and date of the various activities.  TAeSeries® also logs activities by AAI Support Center personnel and outside transcription service associates (when using TAeSeries®) as activities.  In this way HIM directors are ensured that patient confidentiality is not jeopardized by transcription service personnel or AAI staff. 

In addition to these logs, the system provides transcription document versioning.  From document creation by a transcriptionist through QA editing and physician editing, TAeSeries® provides a before and after record of document content.   The dictation can also be saved with the transcription by TAeSeries® if this option is selected by the customer.

TECHNOLOGY

TAeSeries® utilizes a secured client architecture.  It does not currently provide access through an industry standard browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.  In order for any user to access the system, the TAeSeries® client software must be installed on the PC and authenticated by the server.  This design eliminates many of the potential access problems that exist in a pure browser based environment.

Within the TAeSeries® network, documents are encrypted using the Triple DES method. Documents are automatically encrypted when sent and unencrypted upon receipt.  Upon logging off from the TAeSeries® system, all transcription reports are removed from the transcriptionists’ PCs.  This applies to in-house, at-home and other remote transcriptionists such as outside transcription services. 

TAeSeries® does not use e-mail technology to route documents due to HIPAA security requirements.  All routing is done within our secure network environment.