Cybercriminals pose a significant threat to sensitive data, which can be especially vulnerable when stored by third parties, such as in healthcare settings. Protecting such data requires robust cybersecurity measures beyond personal firewalls and antivirus software. The HITRUST Alliance provides crucial support by establishing stringent cybersecurity standards and issuing certifications that ensure healthcare organizations meet these standards. HITRUST helps businesses comply with regulations like HIPAA and secures sensitive information against breaches.
From the pharmacy to the insurance office to the examination room, we almost implicitly trust other people’s terms for safely storing our medical details. Details like your birthdate and credit card number live on hard drives that you’ve never even seen or touched in person. But how often do you talk about cybersecurity practices with your doctor’s office? And beyond specific healthcare data concerns, how can you protect any information in 2019 once you let it go from your hand? HITRUST is a comprehensive security framework that organizations can use to demonstrate their commitment to data protection and mitigate the risk of cyberattacks.
Who is the HITRUST Alliance?
The HITRUST Alliance (pronounced “high-trust”) is a group of cybersecurity experts dedicated to developing and enforcing rigorous standards tailored for the healthcare sector. Based in Frisco, Texas, this private organization issues and validates certifications to ensure that healthcare organizations have secure and compliant technical infrastructures. Third-party auditors perform compliance assessments but must pay a fee to HITRUST and maintain their status as approved assessors.
Similar to PCI or HIPAA compliance, HITRUST certification demonstrates that a company is actively and mindfully managing the storage and transmission of your personal information online. While it may be tempting to overlook these practices, even routine tasks—like transferring your medical records from a general physician to a specialist—all of these practices are governed by stringent regulations.
Whenever there is valuable information, there are cybercriminals eager to steal it. Healthcare organizations are particularly attractive targets because they handle highly sensitive and identifiable data, which often includes credit card numbers and transaction details. Cybercriminals can exploit this data to cause significant damage to an individual’s identity or financial accounts. To navigate the complex landscape of cybersecurity, companies need a reliable partner, and the HITRUST Alliance serves as that crucial ally.
What does the HITRUST Alliance do?
The HITRUST Alliance actively promotes programs that protect sensitive information and manage information risk effectively. This group of experts acts as advocates and specialists at the crossroads of healthcare and cybersecurity. By working with leaders in privacy, information security, and risk management, the HITRUST Alliance is well-positioned to address cybersecurity challenges and educate the public. Their HITRUST certification is a valuable asset for any business seeking to demonstrate compliance with rigorous security standards.
What is HITRUST compliance?
The HITRUST Alliance’s Common Security Framework (CSF), known as HITRUST, is essential for healthcare organizations seeking to demonstrate strong cybersecurity practices. This framework serves as a guide of best practices that organizations can adopt to mitigate cybersecurity risks and manage their data effectively. As one of the more rigorous frameworks available, HITRUST helps safeguard organizations against a broad range of cyberattacks, making it particularly relevant for the healthcare sector.
In the healthcare industry, the quality of your data—encompassing both current medical evaluations and historical records—can significantly impact your medical outcomes. Accurate and secure data access enables doctors to make better diagnoses. However, with increasing incentives, cybercriminals are targeting healthcare facilities more aggressively, seeking to exploit these valuable repositories of sensitive information. HITRUST-certified organizations stand as strong defenders against these threats, providing protection for critical healthcare data.
HITRUST and HIPAA
HITRUST isn’t HIPAA, and the opposite also isn’t true. These two terms are not interchangeable. HIPAA is a set of regulations designed to protect patient information and ensure privacy in healthcare settings. In contrast, HITRUST is an organization that provides a framework and certification to help businesses meet HIPAA requirements and manage their cybersecurity practices effectively. Furthermore, HIPAA is a federal law but HITRUST does not create or enforce legal requirements; instead, the certification framework helps organizations comply with HIPAA regulations. Additionally, HITRUST can assist organizations using multiple service vendors in maintaining HIPAA compliance.
Future-Proofing Healthcare Businesses
The HITRUST Alliance aims to protect healthcare businesses from future cyberattacks. Organizations pursuing HITRUST certification prioritize safeguarding customer data over immediate financial concerns. Although achieving HITRUST compliance involves significant costs, these expenses pale in comparison to the potential fallout of a cyber breach that could expose sensitive medical and financial information.
People’s medical data and personally identifiable information could be exposed and circulated. This often includes credit card numbers and other sensitive financial records, reflecting the types of data that the healthcare system may hold about us.
Start Implementing HITRUST
While the internet exposes data to potential attacks, its convenience for storage is undeniable. The healthcare system handles vast amounts of data that organizations must manage securely. The HITRUST Alliance, a group of experts, ensures that this data remains safe and secure. Ready to learn more about HITRUST or need assistance with certification, contact RSI Security today.
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