BeamScribe/future_to_do_HIPAA.md

HIPAA Compliance Checklist for BeamScribe

This document outlines the changes required to make BeamScribe compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for handling Protected Health Information (PHI).

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🔴 Critical Technical Requirements

1. Enable Encryption in Transit

File: BeamScribe/Managers/MultipeerManager.swift
Priority: Critical
Effort: Low

Change line 52 from:

session = MCSession(peer: peerID, securityIdentity: nil, encryptionPreference: .none)

To:

session = MCSession(peer: peerID, securityIdentity: nil, encryptionPreference: .required)

Caution

Data transmitted between devices is currently unencrypted. Anyone within Bluetooth/Wi-Fi range could intercept transcript data.

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2. Encrypt Transcripts at Rest

File: BeamScribe/Managers/FileStorageManager.swift
Priority: Critical
Effort: Medium

Currently, transcripts are stored as plain .txt files in the Documents directory. Changes needed:

• Use iOS Data Protection by setting file attributes:

  try data.write(to: fileURL, options: .completeFileProtection)
  

• Consider using CryptoKit (AES.GCM) for additional encryption layer
• Store encryption keys in Keychain with appropriate access controls

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3. Prevent iCloud Backup of PHI

File: BeamScribe/Managers/FileStorageManager.swift
Priority: Critical
Effort: Low

Add after creating transcript files:

var resourceValues = URLResourceValues()
resourceValues.isExcludedFromBackup = true
try fileURL.setResourceValues(resourceValues)

Warning

Without this, transcripts containing PHI may be backed up to iCloud, which is not HIPAA-compliant unless you have a BAA with Apple.

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4. Add Authentication to Access Transcripts

Files: New file + BeamScribe/Views/HistoryView.swift
Priority: Critical
Effort: Medium

• Create AuthenticationManager.swift using LocalAuthentication framework
• Require Face ID/Touch ID/Passcode before viewing History
• Add timeout that requires re-authentication after inactivity
• Provide fallback for devices without biometrics

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🟡 Important Technical Requirements

5. Implement Audit Logging

File: New BeamScribe/Managers/AuditLogManager.swift
Priority: High
Effort: Medium

Create an audit log that records:

• When a transcript is created (timestamp, event name)
• When a transcript is viewed (timestamp, file name)
• When a transcript is exported/shared (timestamp, file name, export method)
• When a transcript is deleted (timestamp, file name)
• When a guest connects to receive transcript (timestamp, peer info)

Store logs securely with same encryption as transcripts.

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6. Auto-Lock / Session Timeout

File: BeamScribe/BeamScribeApp.swift or ContentView.swift
Priority: High
Effort: Low

• Track time since last user interaction
• Auto-lock app and require re-authentication after 5 minutes of inactivity
• Clear sensitive data from memory on background

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7. Secure Data Deletion

File: BeamScribe/Managers/FileStorageManager.swift
Priority: High
Effort: Low

When deleting transcripts:

• Overwrite file contents before deletion (secure wipe)
• Clear any cached copies
• Remove from UserDefaults if applicable

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8. Minimum Necessary Access

File: Various
Priority: Medium
Effort: Medium

• Add option to disable transcript saving entirely (live view only mode)
• Add auto-delete policy (e.g., delete transcripts older than 30 days)
• Clear transcripts from guest devices when session ends (configurable)

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🔵 Administrative Requirements

9. Update Privacy Policy

File: privacy-policy.md
Priority: High
Effort: Low

Add sections covering:

• HIPAA compliance statement
• How PHI is protected (encryption, access controls)
• Data retention and deletion policies
• User rights regarding their health information
• Breach notification procedures

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10. User Consent Flow

Files: BeamScribe/Views/OnboardingView.swift or new consent view
Priority: High
Effort: Medium

• Display clear consent screen before first use
• Explain that app may record health-related conversations
• Require explicit "I Agree" action
• Store consent timestamp in audit log

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11. Business Associate Agreement (BAA)

Priority: Critical (if using cloud speech recognition)
Effort: External process

Important

If requiresOnDeviceRecognition is set to false (or not set), audio data may be sent to Apple's servers. You would need a BAA with Apple to remain HIPAA-compliant. Consider forcing on-device recognition for healthcare use.

File: BeamScribe/Managers/TranscriptionManager.swift

Check/add:

recognitionRequest.requiresOnDeviceRecognition = true

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12. Incident Response Documentation

File: New INCIDENT_RESPONSE.md
Priority: Medium
Effort: Medium

Document procedures for:

• Identifying a potential breach
• Containing and investigating the breach
• Notifying affected individuals (within 60 days per HIPAA)
• Notifying HHS if breach affects 500+ individuals
• Documenting corrective actions

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Implementation Order (Recommended)

Phase	Items	Effort
Phase 1	#1 (Encryption in Transit), #3 (Backup Exclusion), #11 (On-device recognition)	Low
Phase 2	#2 (Encryption at Rest), #4 (Authentication)	Medium
Phase 3	#5 (Audit Logging), #6 (Auto-Lock), #7 (Secure Delete)	Medium
Phase 4	#9 (Privacy Policy), #10 (Consent Flow), #8 (Access Controls)	Medium
Phase 5	#12 (Incident Response)	Low

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Additional Considerations

• Apple BAA: Apple offers a BAA for certain services. Review Apple's Business Program for healthcare compliance.
• Penetration Testing: Consider a security audit before deploying in healthcare settings.
• Staff Training: Document how healthcare staff should use the app to maintain compliance.
• Regular Reviews: HIPAA requires ongoing risk assessments; schedule quarterly reviews.

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Last Updated: December 26, 2025