HITRUST

In 2007, the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) took the world of healthcare security by storm when it introduced a framework that does not only protect sensitive information but also manage risks for global organizations across third-party supply chains. 

Technically-speaking, the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) characterizes and transforms HITECH and HIPAA requirements into a standard functional procedure which is subsequently documented and compared to other data privacy and security regulations. 

This allows healthcare organizations to effectively cultivate compliance and be able to meet an extensive range of regulatory requirements. Apart from bringing together HIPAA and HITECH, the HITRUST CSF also boasts globally-recognized security standards such as PCI, COBIT, FTC, ISO, Red Flags, and NIST which work together to take a visionary approach to risk mitigation and data protection.

Healthcare is an industry intertwined with our everyday lives. The young and the old alike rely on doctors to keep them healthy and usually, in that pursuit, reveal personal details to their health practitioners. This means consumers put a lot of trust in healthcare companies. 

But with technology taking over the mundane tasks of healthcare, threat actors target health institutions for that personal information. The Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) is designed to verify privacy and security compliance combat healthcare fraud. In particular, there are three different levels associated with HITRUST controls. 

Learn about each HITRUST level and why it’s important with our comprehensive guide. 

Compliance has gradually become more complex to navigate as healthcare providers continue to depend on evolving technologies to distribute and store data. This is primarily because most medical image archives continue to increase by 40% annually.

Having to comply with security requirements from state and federal agencies can be a challenging undertaking, one that drains significant strength and labor. After all, healthcare providers, along with their IT vendors, should not only obtain compliance but also demonstrate that they are a reliable resource. This is why it is essential for medical providers to have a system that is not only clear and efficient but is also fast and secure.

The Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) is an organization that creates and maintains a common security framework (CSF) for businesses and organizations in the healthcare sector. Founded in 2007, the Texas-based entity has a prescriptive set of controls that organizations can use in creating, accessing, storing, or exchanging sensitive or regulated data. 

HITRUST certification is commonly required by organizations handling protected health information (PHI).  It provides a holistic approach to managing information security risks. Considered as the gold standard for compliance in the healthcare industry, it combines commonly accepted standards such as:

If you’re a business owner who operates within the healthcare industry, you know that patients are your top priority. Whether it’s protecting their health or their data, you want to meet a high standard of excellence. Read below for more information on the HITRUST Alliance and how they help protect the healthcare industry. 

Rapid advances in medical technology are changing the healthcare industry for the better, but along with these technological advances, come adverse risks. Additionally, as doctors gather more data about their patients through medical devices connected to the internet, it is crucial that this data remains private. Robust data is important for the best care, just as robust security keeps that data private and secure.