If you think that ISO, NIST, PCI, HIGHTECH and HIPAA are a mouthful, you would be correct.
When it comes to the healthcare industry, the exchange of patient health information for the purpose of care delivery is sacrosanct. And technologies used must be designed to comply with financial, security, and privacy regulations, including HIPAA and GLBA. Digital data exchange and storage of electronic patient health information (ePHI) must meet the most stringent requirements for secure document transmission, and be in compliance with the recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Finally, data at rest must be protected according to the Advanced Data Encryption (AES) standard in highly secure colocations or private data centers, with two-factor authentication (2FA) to add a second level of authentication.
All of the above can ensure that healthcare data receives maximum protection. But for the healthcare industry, one standard (or five) may still not be enough.
At the risk of piling it on, yet another certification must now be added to the already long list.
HITRUST CSF certification®
HITRUST CSF certification acknowledges that healthcare IT solutions utilize a well-developed and well-recognized framework for regulatory compliance and risk management. The framework is developed in collaboration with information security professionals. It incorporates nationally and internationally accepted standards, including all those listed above, to ensure that certified organizations maintain a comprehensive set of security controls.
Some present and prospective consumers of these technologies may ask why this is important. It is a fair question. After all, it's not like this is a certification you can frame and hang on your own wall.
On the other hand, it is something that the healthcare IT sector can take to the bank – figuratively, at least.
The gold standard in healthcare
The HITRUST CSF certification is now considered to be the "gold standard" for a compliance framework in the healthcare information industry. It is the most comprehensive and most widely applied security framework in the U.S. healthcare system. According to HITRUST, 81% of hospitals and 80% of health plans have adopted the framework in some way. Although the process is extensive and will require time, an increased number of leading technology providers are investing in the assessment and certification process in order to achieve this certification.
Achieving the HITRUST CSF certification is a notable accomplishment. It reflects the highest level of commitment to security and compliance in an organization, and companies who earn it are strongly positioned as leading solutions in their space.
Certification assessment
Obtaining CSF certification is a rigorous assessment process that demonstrates an organization's commitment to that objective. It involves multiple stages of self-assessment, CSF assessment and review, and a HITRUST quality assurance review.
In short, with HITRUST CSF certification, healthcare providers and covered entities have documented assurances that a product or organization is adhering to the most complex standards in healthcare security and compliance for exchanging electronic medical data.
Your needs and the needs of your customers are constantly evolving; when it comes to the security of your information, assurances can never be overlooked.
By undergoing the process to achieve the HITRUST CSF certification, and by earning that certification, solution vendors further demonstrate their commitment to maintaining the highest standards in the industry – adding yet another layer of assurance to their customers.
All the benefits – at zero cost
And the best part – most technology providers will share this benefit with their customers and partners at no extra cost to you. Imagine that: multiple assurances...for free.
eFax Corporate®, a leading digital cloud fax technology (DCFT) for the Healthcare industry, recently achieved HITRUST CSF certification. With this achievement, eFax Corporate demonstrates its commitment to meeting and exceeding the healthcare industry's strict data privacy and security regulations.
Read more about eFax Corporate's HITRUST CSF Certification.
About the Author
Jeff Solis is Sr. Product Marketing Manager at j2 Cloud Services™, Inc. and is responsible for the go-to-market strategies for the eFax Corporate suite of solutions.