BAA (Business Associate Agreement)

A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is a formal contract between a healthcare provider and a third-party service provider that handles protected health information (PHI). It ensures that the service provider agrees to follow specific privacy and security standards required by law (like HIPAA) to protect patient data. The BAA clearly outlines each party's responsibilities for safeguarding sensitive health information, preventing breaches, and properly handling data if a breach occurs. Essentially, it’s a legal safeguard to ensure data privacy is maintained when outside companies assist healthcare providers.