About HITRUST

HITRUST CSF (Common Security Framework) is a certifiable framework that harmonizes multiple security standards including HIPAA, PCI DSS, ISO, and NIST. It provides organizations, particularly those handling sensitive healthcare data, with a comprehensive approach to managing security and compliance through scalable and prescriptive controls.

The framework assesses security across 19 domains, from information protection to business continuity management, offering maturity ratings that reflect an organization's implementation effectiveness. HITRUST certification demonstrates an organization's commitment to robust security practices and often simplifies compliance verification for partners and clients, making it increasingly valuable in healthcare and adjacent industries.

HITRUST compliance steps

1. Begin by conducting a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities and security gaps in your organization. This assessment serves as the foundation for your HITRUST compliance program and should evaluate all systems that store, process, or transmit sensitive information.

2. Establish a dedicated compliance team with clear roles and responsibilities to oversee the implementation of HITRUST requirements. This team should include stakeholders from IT, security, legal, and business operations to ensure a holistic approach to compliance.

3. Select the appropriate HITRUST assessment approach based on your organization's needs—either the HITRUST CSF Self-Assessment, HITRUST CSF Validated Assessment, or HITRUST CSF Certified Assessment. The certification level you choose will depend on your regulatory requirements and business objectives.

4. Implement the necessary technical controls outlined in the HITRUST CSF framework, focusing on access management, data protection, network security, and system integrity. These controls should be documented in formal policies and procedures that align with your organization's risk profile.

5. Develop and maintain comprehensive security policies and procedures that address all 19 domains of the HITRUST framework. Ensure these documents are regularly updated to reflect changes in your environment or the regulatory landscape.

6. Conduct regular employee security awareness training to foster a culture of compliance throughout the organization. All staff members should understand their role in maintaining security controls and protecting sensitive information.

7. Perform internal audits and testing to validate the effectiveness of your implemented controls before engaging with external assessors. This preparation will help identify and remediate issues before the formal assessment process.

8. Engage a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor to conduct the formal assessment of your environment against the HITRUST CSF requirements. Work collaboratively with the assessor to provide necessary documentation and evidence.

9. Address any gaps identified during the assessment by implementing corrective action plans with clear timelines and ownership. These remediation efforts should be prioritized based on risk level and compliance impact.

10. Submit your assessment results to HITRUST for review and certification. Upon successful validation, maintain your certification through continuous monitoring and periodic reassessments as required by the HITRUST framework.

Organizations face significant challenges when implementing HITRUST standards due to the comprehensive nature of the framework. Conducting thorough risk assessments requires substantial resources and specialized expertise that many organizations lack, particularly smaller entities with limited IT and security personnel. Establishing a dedicated compliance team often means pulling valuable staff away from other critical business functions or hiring additional personnel, creating budget constraints and operational disruptions. The selection of the appropriate assessment approach demands careful consideration of business requirements against available resources, with many organizations struggling to determine which level of certification best meets their needs without overextending their capabilities.

The technical implementation of HITRUST controls presents particularly formidable obstacles. Organizations frequently discover their existing systems lack necessary security features, requiring costly upgrades or replacements. Developing and maintaining comprehensive policies across all 19 HITRUST domains creates an enormous documentation burden that must be continuously updated as technologies and threats evolve. Employee security awareness training, while essential, often competes with other organizational priorities and can be difficult to make engaging and effective across diverse staff populations. Internal auditing processes require specialized skills that may not exist within the organization, necessitating additional investment in training or external consultants.

The consequences of failing to properly implement HITRUST standards can be severe and far-reaching. Organizations risk substantial financial penalties for non-compliance with underlying regulations like HIPAA, potentially reaching into millions of dollars for serious violations. Data breaches resulting from inadequate security controls can expose organizations to costly litigation, significant remediation expenses, and mandatory notification requirements. The reputational damage from security incidents can lead to loss of customer trust, business partnerships, and market share, effects that often persist long after the initial incident is resolved.

Beyond immediate financial and reputational impacts, organizations may find themselves excluded from business opportunities that require demonstrated compliance with rigorous security standards. Many healthcare entities and their business associates now require HITRUST certification as a prerequisite for data-sharing agreements or service contracts. Non-compliant organizations may be forced to operate in increasingly limited market segments, unable to compete for contracts with more security-conscious partners. Additionally, the remediation costs following a security incident or failed assessment typically far exceed the investment required for proactive compliance, creating a false economy for organizations that defer or minimize their HITRUST implementation efforts.

Simplifying HITRUST compliance with an Enterprise Browser

HITRUST compliance involves the proper treatment and care of protected healthcare information (PHI) to ensure patient privacy, and navigating its complex requirements can be daunting. With the Island Enterprise Browser, businesses can simplify compliance while maintaining security and productivity — directly through the browser.

By creating secure application boundaries and embedding robust controls, Island ensures PHI information stays within authorized systems, reducing audit scope and risk.