IT management for the healthcare industry seems to grow more complex by the day. From HIPAA compliance and regulations to managing multiple locations and networks, IT teams can struggle to keep up—and keep the organization secure.
Do you have a comprehensive cybersecurity plan in place? To help you stay ahead of security issues, and mitigate risk, we’ve put together a cybersecurity checklist for healthcare organizations. While it’s not as robust as a true cybersecurity risk assessment, it can point you in the right direction. Ask yourself these questions when thinking about security and compliance:
Audits and Assessments
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that requires adherence to national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. Has your organization conducted the six annual Audits/Assessments as required by HIPAA?
- Security Risk Assessment
- HITECH Subtitle D Privacy Audit
- Physical Security Audit
- Asset and Device Audit
- Security Standards Audit
- Privacy Standards Audit
Remediation Plans
- For the above required audits, has your organization identified and documented all gaps in compliance?
- Has your organization created a remediation plan to address identified gaps?
- Does your organization review this remediation plan annually, and if so, can you provide supporting documentation to an auditor?
Training
All employees should receive security awareness training on a frequent, recurring basis. As the human factor tends to be an organization’s weakest link in its cyber defense, ensuring that your employees are working with—rather than against—your existing security controls is critical.
- Have all staff members undergone required annual HIPAA training?
- Have all training records been documented, and if so, can you provide them to an auditor?
- Has a staff member been officially designated as the HIPAA Compliance, Privacy, and/or Security Officer?
Incident Response
The healthcare industry has seen a 51% increase in breaches and leaks since 2019. Ask yourself these questions when you’re thinking about security at your organization:
- Does your organization have a defined process for tracking and managing security incidents and breaches?
- Can your organization fulfill its reporting obligations for security incidents and breaches?
- Does your organization provide its staff members with a way to anonymously report a security incident or breach?
Policies and Procedures
As every organization is different, there’s no authoritative list of mandatory policies. But there are some questions you can ask yourself to know if your policies are comprehensive and compliant.
- Has your organization developed policies and procedures related to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification rules?
- Have all staff read and attested to their understanding of these policies and procedures, and if so, can you provide supporting documentation to an auditor?
- Does your organization annually review these policies and procedures, and if so, can you provide supporting evidence to an auditor?
Vendors and Business Associates
- Has your organization established Business Associate Agreements with all relevant business associates?
- Does your organization review these agreements annually, and if so, can you provide supporting evidence to an auditor?
- Has your organization performed due diligence on its relevant business associates to ensure that they do not jeopardize your HIPAA compliance?
- Does your organization have Confidentiality Agreements in place with vendors that do not qualify as Business Associates?
Compliance gaps? We’ve got you covered.
Our team of compliance experts has the knowledge and experience to help healthcare organizations reach and maintain full compliance. Our compliance gap review includes:
- A comprehensive analysis of your technology and cybersecurity environment.
- A review of your potential cybersecurity gaps and compliance risks.
- A plan customized for your organization with actionable steps to help mitigate risks and protect client data.
Increase compliance, security and peace of mind with Corsica’s managed cyber security services. Schedule your personal consultation today.
