Azalea proves it cares about your security by earning
HITRUST e1 Certification
Healthcare IT is harder than ever. Data breaches and cyber threats are becoming increasingly common and costly, making the responsibility of securing sensitive patient information to be more important than ever. To combat these threats, Azalea Health, a leader in providing electronic health record (EHR) software and revenue cycle management (RCM) services, has achieved a HITRUST e1 Certification. This milestone underscores Azalea’s commitment to offering top-notch cybersecurity and data protection for its users.
What is HITRUST?
HITRUST, short for the Health Information Trust Alliance, is a certifying body that establishes and maintains robust standards for safeguarding sensitive information. Founded in 2007, HITRUST collaborates with healthcare, technology, and information security leaders to develop the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF). The HITRUST CSF is a comprehensive, certifiable framework that integrates and harmonizes various standards, including ISO, NIST, and HIPAA, making it one of the most rigorous security frameworks in the healthcare industry. Learn more about HITRUST at hitrustalliance.net.
History of HITRUST
HITRUST was created to address the growing challenges of information security within the healthcare sector. Over the years, it has evolved to become a gold standard for organizations looking to ensure their security measures meet the highest criteria. By achieving HITRUST certification, companies demonstrate their dedication to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.
Benefits of Azalea Achieving HITRUST Certification
For healthcare professionals, hospital C-suite executives, health IT experts, practice managers, and providers, using a HITRUST-certified platform like Azalea offers numerous benefits:
- Enhanced Security: HITRUST certification signifies that Azalea meets stringent security standards, ensuring your data is protected against cyber threats.
- Compliance: With HITRUST certification, Azalea aligns with various regulatory requirements, including HIPAA. This compliance reduces the risk of penalties and enhances trust among stakeholders.
- Risk Management: HITRUST certification involves continuous monitoring and updates, ensuring that Azalea remains vigilant against emerging threats.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing that your EHR system meets the highest security standards allows you to focus on patient care without worrying about data breaches.
Benefits of e1 Certification
The HITRUST e1 Assessment is valid for one year from its issuance date, and is threat-adaptive, which means that as the threat landscape evolves, the requirements will also be updated to address future risks as they emerge. This includes mitigations for the most critical cybersecurity threats such as ransomware, phishing, brute force, and abuse of valid accounts. Learn more about that here.
Comparing Azalea’s SOC 2 Type 2 and HITRUST Certifications
While both SOC 2 Type 2 and HITRUST certifications assess an organization’s security posture, they differ in scope and focus. Learn more about Azalea’s Soc 2 Type 2 certification here.
What are the differences between SOC 2 and HITRUST e1?
Both HITRUST e1 Assessments and SOC 2 examinations focus on information security controls.
A SOC 2 report is typically relevant for service organizations that provide services involving the processing of sensitive customer information or data. This framework is particularly valuable for businesses that offer technology and cloud computing services, e.g., Software as a Service (SaaS), and various other outsourcing services.
HITRUST is specifically designed for the healthcare industry and incorporates industry-specific requirements, while SOC 2 is more general and applicable across various sectors with a focus on trust service criteria.
SOC 2 Type 2
- Scope: SOC 2 Type 2 focuses on an organization’s controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
- Assessment: Conducted over a period, typically six months to a year, to evaluate the effectiveness of controls.
- Benefits: Demonstrates that an organization follows best practices for data security and management.
HITRUST
- Scope: HITRUST CSF is specifically designed for the healthcare industry, integrating multiple standards and regulations.
- Assessment: Comprehensive, ongoing evaluation and certification process, ensuring continuous compliance and improvement.
- Benefits: Provides a higher level of assurance and trust, particularly in the healthcare sector, due to its specific focus on protecting sensitive health information.
What HITRUST Certification Means for Azalea
Achieving HITRUST certification is a testament to Azalea’s dedication to cybersecurity and data protection. It means that Azalea has undergone a rigorous evaluation process and met the highest standards for protecting sensitive information. For users, this translates to increased security, compliance, and trust in the platform.
Steps Azalea Took to Achieve HITRUST Certification
Securing HITRUST certification is no small feat and requires a comprehensive approach to data security and compliance. Here are the key steps Azalea undertook to achieve this prestigious certification:
- Risk Assessment: Conducted a thorough risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities and establish the necessary security measures.
- Policy Development: Developed and implemented robust security policies and procedures tailored to meet HITRUST CSF requirements.
- Employee Training: Trained staff on best practices for cyber hygiene and data protection to ensure compliance throughout the organization.
- Technical Safeguards: Deployed advanced technical safeguards, such as encryption and intrusion detection systems, to protect sensitive data.
- Continuous Monitoring: Established continuous monitoring and auditing processes to ensure ongoing compliance and identify potential threats.
- Third-Party Audits: Engaged independent auditors to validate and certify that the security measures met HITRUST’s stringent criteria.
By diligently following these steps, Azalea demonstrated its unwavering commitment to safeguarding patient information and maintaining the utmost levels of data security.
The Future of Azalea and HITRUST
While achieving the HITRUST e1 Certification is an amazing accomplishment, it is the first step in Azalea’s goal of continued pursuit of higher security measures. The next levels of HITRUST assessments, i1 and r2, are on Azalea’s roadmap.
Understanding Cybersecurity Threats in Healthcare
Healthcare organizations are prime targets for cyberattacks due to the valuable data they handle. According to an IBM study, healthcare data breaches cost an average of $11 million per studied incident in 2023, making it one of the most expensive industries for data breaches. In 2023 alone, there were over 725 reported healthcare data breaches, affecting more than 133 million records according to a HIPAA Journal study.
Common Cybersecurity Threats
- Ransomware: Malicious software that encrypts data and demands payment for its release.
- Phishing: Fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information through deceptive emails or messages.
- Insider Threats: Risks posed by employees or other authorized individuals who misuse access to sensitive information.
- Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Long-term, targeted attacks designed to steal sensitive data over an extended period.
Conclusion
In an era where cybersecurity is critical, Azalea’s achievement of HITRUST certification sets it apart from competitors who do not have this certification. By choosing to work with Azalea, healthcare organizations can benefit from enhanced security, compliance, and peace of mind, knowing that their sensitive data is protected to the highest standards.
If you want to learn more about how Azalea’s HITRUST-certified solutions can benefit your organization, schedule a free demo today.
Want to learn more?
Schedule time to meet our experienced team so we can answer any questions you might have. We’d love to show you have Azalea’s solutions can provide a secure foundation you can build your business on.