HIPAA Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making (And How to Fix Them Before an Audit)
When it comes to HIPAA compliance, most medical practices think they’re covered: firewalls in place, patient data encrypted, EHR access controlled. But compliance isn’t a one-time checklist—and unfortunately, even well-meaning clinics are often making mistakes that can cost them thousands in fines.
The good news? Most of these issues are fixable—before they trigger a failed audit or breach investigation.
At Pacific IT Support, we’ve helped dozens of healthcare providers stay HIPAA-compliant, secure, and audit-ready. Below are the most common (and most overlooked) HIPAA missteps—and how to correct them quickly.
Read Also: How to Prepare for a HIPAA Audit: What Every Practice Should Know
1. Assuming Your EHR Provider Handles All Compliance
The mistake: Many practices think that because they’re using a HIPAA-compliant EHR system, the rest of their technology is covered too.
The reality: Your EHR only covers a portion of your responsibilities. HIPAA applies to your entire IT ecosystem, including:
- Workstations and laptops
- Network configurations
- Printers, scanners, and even smart TVs
- Backup systems
- Email, texting, and file sharing tools
How to Fix it: Conduct a full HIPAA IT risk assessment that evaluates your entire environment—not just your patient records platform.
Read also: HIPAA Compliance: Protecting Your Patients and Your Practice
2. Using Personal Devices Without a BYOD Policy
The mistake: Staff members checking email or accessing files on their personal phones or laptops without any oversight.
The risk: These devices may not be encrypted, patched, or protected by strong passwords—and they’re vulnerable to loss or theft.
How to Fix it: Create a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy that outlines:
- Device security requirements
- Approved apps
- What to do if a device is lost
- Remote wipe and access revocation protocols
Bonus: Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) to secure and control mobile access.
Read also: Guide: Ensuring Compliance for Your Business
3. Forgetting to Terminate Access for Former Employees
The mistake: A nurse or admin leaves the practice—but their credentials remain active.
The risk: Dormant accounts are a major HIPAA violation risk and are frequently exploited in breaches.
How to Fix it:
- Implement a formal offboarding checklist
- Revoke email, EHR, and network access immediately
- Conduct regular reviews of active users and permissions
Read also: HIPAA Compliance for Non-Healthcare Organizations
4. No Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Cloud Access
The mistake: Staff are logging into cloud-based systems with just a password.
The risk: Password-only access is easily breached through phishing or credential stuffing. If patient records are exposed, it’s a reportable HIPAA breach.
How to Fix it: Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all systems that store or access Protected Health Information (PHI), especially:
- Cloud storage
- EHR systems
- Remote desktop portals
Read also: Key Compliance Changes in HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI for 2025
5. Not Having a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with All Vendors
The mistake: You share PHI with vendors like billing companies, IT providers, or cloud services—but don’t have a signed BAA in place.
The risk: Without a BAA, you are liable for any data mishandling they commit.
How to Fix it: Make sure you have signed BAAs with:
- Any third-party vendor that stores, accesses, or transmits PHI
- Your IT provider (yes, even your MSP!)
- Cloud services and communication tools
Read also: Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits: Protecting Your Mission
6. Thinking “We’re Too Small to Be Audited”
The mistake: Assuming your small clinic or practice flies under the radar of HHS or OCR.
The reality: Small practices are more often targeted by ransomware—and HHS doesn’t give out passes based on size. Fines can range from $100 to $50,000 per violation.
How to Fix it: Treat HIPAA like an ongoing priority. Work with an IT partner that:
- Provides HIPAA assessments
- Offers compliance-focused support
- Documents every protection and control you have in place
How Pacific IT Support Helps You Stay Compliant
We specialize in helping healthcare providers manage HIPAA the smart way—with practical tools, not endless paperwork. Our services include:
- Full HIPAA IT risk assessments
- Network security audits
- Device encryption and access control
- Cloud and backup compliance reviews
- Documentation and policy support
- Staff training and phishing simulations
With our 16+ years of experience in supporting clinics, specialists, and medical nonprofits, we help you stay compliant, avoid fines, and protect your patients.
Get Ahead of HIPAA—Before It Gets Ahead of You. If you’re not 100% confident in your compliance, now’s the time to fix it—before OCR knocks or a phishing email turns into a breach.
📩 Schedule a HIPAA readiness check today. Let’s fix the gaps, document the protections, and help you sleep easier at night.