SingleHop Supports Healthcare IT by Implementing Formal Business Associate Agreement Program

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Dec 2, 2014) - SingleHop, the leading provider of compliance-focused private cloud solutions, today announced a formal Business Associate Agreement (BAA) Program designed to make obtaining a BAA as seamless as possible for HIPAA-focused customers. BAAs are an important part of the HIPAA legislation, which, among other things, provide for safeguards regarding the protection of sensitive information. Many providers are reluctant to sign BAAs for all but the largest of customers because they add risk. SingleHop's willingness to enter into BAAs gives healthcare customers an additional layer of assurance and security that most IaaS providers are reluctant to deliver. 

According to Title III of HIPAA, also known as the HITECH Act, healthcare organizations must report data breaches that affect 500 or more individuals to the HHS, the media, and individuals who are affected by a breach. Furthermore, should a healthcare organization work with a third party to facilitate certain healthcare-related functions, that company is known as a business associate and must have a written BAA in place. This agreement requires the business associate to comply with HIPAA standards and makes that company directly liable for the handling of sensitive data.

Many companies, who are responsible for providing infrastructure on which confidential information is hosted, are hesitant to sign a BAA, as they are unable or unwilling to take on the liabilities it presents. For example, some require revenue thresholds or will not agree to the notification periods in the event of a breach.

"There are a lot of companies that love to tout 'compliance' but typically shy away from signing a BAA for a number of reasons," says Mark Cravotta, executive vice president of worldwide sales and services at SingleHop. "At SingleHop, we can confidently sign this agreement because we have built in the necessary safeguards throughout our entire infrastructure to ensure top-to-bottom security of sensitive data."

SingleHop provides bare metal, isolated private cloud solutions and various security controls that are fully compliant with HIPAA standards. It is also is one of the few companies who is willing to sign a BAA and, as a result, has won over several healthcare customers from top competitors.

About SingleHop
SingleHop, a leading global provider of hosted IT infrastructure and cloud computing, brings together a unique combination of enterprise-class technologies from industry-leading vendors, and a proprietary automation engine, to deliver a customized cloud infrastructure experience for enterprises of all sizes. Their powerful portal and award-winning automation platform make it simple to design and support the optimal cloud environment. Their service includes full-life cycle, white glove support, instantly scalable solutions, and comprehensive integrated security. SingleHop serves more than 5,500 customers in more than 124 countries with data centers across the United States and Europe.