This is placeholder text and is not a legal document. PLACEHOLDER — the full BAA is provided and signed electronically during onboarding.
Why a BAA
Under HIPAA, a software vendor that stores or processes protected health information (PHI) on behalf of a covered entity is a business associate. Life Systems Software signs a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with every subscribing clinic. It is included with every plan at no extra cost.
What Life Systems Software commits to
- Use and disclose PHI only as permitted by the agreement and as required to provide the service.
- Implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards that meet the HIPAA Security Rule.
- Report any security incident or breach of unsecured PHI without unreasonable delay, and no later than the timeframe set in the agreement.
- Ensure any subcontractor that handles PHI agrees to the same restrictions in writing.
- Make PHI available to the clinic for patient access, amendment, and accounting-of-disclosures requests.
- Make internal practices, books, and records available to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for compliance review.
- Return or destroy PHI at termination where feasible, and continue protecting any PHI that must be retained.
What the clinic commits to
- Obtain any patient consents or authorisations required for the uses the clinic directs.
- Keep user accounts current and remove access for staff who leave.
- Notify Life Systems Software of any restriction on the use of PHI that a patient has requested and the clinic has agreed to.
Sub-processors
A current list of sub-processors that may handle PHI, including hosting and messaging providers, is published on the Security page. We give at least 30 days’ notice before adding a sub-processor that handles PHI.
Term and termination
The BAA is effective for the life of the subscription. Either party may terminate the BAA, and therefore the subscription, if the other materially breaches it and does not cure the breach within 30 days.
Requesting the full agreement
Prospective customers can request the full BAA before subscribing by contacting support@LifeSystemsSoftware.com (PLACEHOLDER). We accept the standard agreement as written and can review reasonable customer-paper alternatives for Group plans.