Using HIPAA as a Guide for Legal Transcription & Translation Services

Every industry and company has a certain set of standards that they work by in order to maintain an ethical and moral stance & deliver unprecedented customer service - at least that's the overall goal. In some business, a promise of service at a certain level isn't enough for consumers and governmental or regulatory agencies. In the case of medical and health information, HIPAA is one of those regulatory systems that is designed to maintain a minimum level of confidentiality when it comes to patients medical records and personal data. Any company dealing specifically with that information is ruled by the guidelines of HIPAA in how data can be stored, transferred, discussed, shared, and distributed.

HIPAA controls the flow of information very well among those entities that are involved in medical care, documentation and information, but there's a vast world of businesses out there that is in no way related to the medical field or health care system. HIPAA is effective and its structure is sound, but it doesn't cover those businesses outside of its umbrella of influence.

So how do clients, consumers and other businesses know their data is being handled with care if - for example - they work with a legal transcription and translation company that's handling sensitive material?