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Beyond HIPAA Compliance: Strengthening Healthcare Data Security with HITRUST

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The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has long been the standard for protecting patient health data, or electronic protected health information (ePHI) as defined by HIPAA. With the proposed changes to HIPAA’s Security Rule, businesses in the healthcare industry must adapt to new regulations aimed at strengthening data security and privacy. As healthcare data continues to evolve, it’s crucial for organizations to go beyond HIPAA compliance and consider obtaining HITRUST certification—a comprehensive framework that not only meets but exceeds HIPAA’s minimum requirements. 

Key Proposed Changes to HIPAA

The proposed rules to HIPAA introduce significant changes that impact healthcare providers, business associates and third-party vendors: 

  • Enhanced Data Security: New requirements for multi-factor authentication, encryption and stricter data access controls are now mandatory to protect ePHI. 
  • Expanded Accountability for Business Associates: The proposed revision will make accountability and proven assurances a core responsibility of business associates, replacing the current reliance on “trust.” 
  • Stricter Breach Notification: HIPAA’s new breach notification timelines are shorter, with heavier penalties for non-compliance, making it essential to have real-time breach detection systems in place. 
  • Privacy and Data Sharing Regulations: Updated rules around patient consent and data sharing require healthcare organizations to be more diligent in managing how information is exchanged. 
  • Technological Advancements: The integration of emerging technologies like AI and blockchain will play a key role in tracking, protecting and auditing health data. 

Why Going Beyond HIPAA to HITRUST Matters

While HIPAA provides foundational security standards, HITRUST certification offers a more robust, comprehensive approach. Here’s why going beyond HIPAA with HITRUST can set you up for success in a rapidly evolving compliance landscape: 

  1. Comprehensive Risk Management: HITRUST integrates multiple security frameworks (e.g., HIPAA, ISO 27001, NIST) into one unified standard, allowing organizations to address a broader spectrum of risks and implement stronger data protection measures. Organizations can streamline compliance efforts while ensuring they meet a range of standards, making it easier to protect against cyber threats and data breaches. 
  2. Improved Security and Trust: HITRUST requires continuous monitoring, advanced encryption and incident response plans that go beyond HIPAA’s vague and often subjective requirements, offering a stronger security posture. Achieving HITRUST certification demonstrates an organization’s commitment to top-tier data security, building trust with patients, clients and partners. 
  3. Simplified Compliance and Audits: HITRUST certification consolidates multiple frameworks into one, reducing the burden of separate audits and making compliance efforts more efficient. This allows businesses to save time, money and resources while ensuring they meet all relevant standards. 
  4. Enhanced Patient and Consumer Trust: As cybersecurity threats mature, consumers and patients are more concerned than ever about the safety of their personal data. HITRUST certification signals to them that the organization is committed to the highest levels of security. Organizations with HITRUST certification are seen as more trustworthy, helping to attract new business, retain patients and build stronger partnerships. 
  5. Credibility in the Marketplace: Since its inception, HITRUST has been viewed as the gold standard in securing data (not just ePHI). While it continues to be the preferred, and sometimes required, framework in healthcare, its success as a proven risk management framework has extended into other industries.

Finding the Right Partner to Secure Your Organization’s Data Framework

Given the complexity of the proposed HIPAA updates and the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, partnering with a security expert like Frazier & Deeter’s HITRUST team offers an added layer of security protocol that not only establishes HIPAA compliance, but ensures your ecosystem is up to par:

  • Risk Management: Secure, encrypted platforms can help mitigate the risk of breaches and protect sensitive financial and health data. 
  • Cost of Non-Compliance: Failing to meet updated HIPAA standards can result in hefty fines and reputational damage. HITRUST certification helps ensure compliance with the latest regulations. 
  • Streamlining Operations: Secure platforms allow businesses to manage both financial records and healthcare data efficiently, with built-in safeguards for privacy and integrity. 

The HIPAA updates bring new challenges to healthcare organizations, but they also present an opportunity to strengthen data protection, enhance trust with consumers and improve compliance efforts. By going beyond HIPAA to achieve HITRUST certification, organizations not only meet the evolving regulatory requirements but also demonstrate a commitment to the highest standards of data security.  

Contact FD today to learn more about how your organization can become cyber threat adaptive while bringing peace of mind to your customers. 

Contributors

Andrew Hicks, Partner & National Practice Leader, HITRUST

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