We make sure to stay on top of the rules and regulations that impact businesses in the Twin Cities. Our customers often remark how much they appreciate our diligence in keeping them abreast of updates that we receive.One example of where our knowledge of information destruction requirements is critical is when we’re working with a hospital, medical practice, or physician. There are very strict rules about the destruction of electronic medical records. Our medical customers can be sure that their sensitive records are always destroyed according to HIPAA guidelines.The current president and his administration have attempted a variety of programs to stimulate the U.S. economy and create jobs. One initiative actually included funding for the development of secure systems for storing medical records electronically. After lots of problems with security in the early years of the internet, the new effort was designed to create systems that have stronger security precautions built-in.As a result of this focus, many things have changed. For example, there are now new categories of covered organizations and business associates are required to comply with HIPAA laws and inform their customers if they are involved in any breach of data security. Breach notification is an important part of ensuring HIPAA rule enforcement, and we at OceanTech are well versed in all our firm’s requirements in this area.Under new HIPAA rules, the fines for non-compliance with regulations have increased by a staggering 6000 percent, from $25,000 to $1,500,000 for willful violations. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services has shifted the responsibility for the enforcement of state HIPAA laws to the states, where it now resides in the Attorney General’s office.If your business falls under HIPAA guidelines, you can be sure that when you work with OceanTech on your equipment removal or data destruction projects, we are well informed and ready to meet all your needs.