HITRUST develop and set up the Common Security Framework (CSF) that contributes to a process to standardize Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance. It connects HIPAA with other national and international data security frameworks and other state laws.
By connecting more than 20 different requirements and processes, HITRUST CSF certification permits healthcare institutes to perform a single assessment to confirm several steps (including a HIPAA compliance audit).
The HITRUST CSF is the healthcare industry’s most influential information security framework. According to the Health Information Trust Alliance, It was develop to tackle the security, privacy, and disciplinary challenges healthcare organizations face.Â
It can be a comprehensive and flexible framework for expanding security controls. The CSF includes federal or state regulations, standards, and frameworks.
It connects with a risk-based approach that provides specific criteria for assessing privacy, integrity, and the availability of information systems. It is primarily related to health care.
What Does CSF Stand for HITRUST CSF?
CSF stands for “Common Security Framework.” It is the base of HITRUST programs and services that standardize various security frameworks, and legal information, by providing explanation and consistency and reducing compliance.
The CSF allows the target of the HITRUST to facilitate the provision of numerous compliance reports on a single assessment.
What does the HITRUST CSF Cost?
It is essential and advantageous that access to the HITRUST CSF is free of cost. All healthcare institutes download the HITRUST CSF and utilize it within their organization to get benefits aside from formal Certification. For example, the HITRUST CSF is an excellent tool for understanding how different information security framework is associate with the “map.”
What is the process for getting HITRUST Certification?
The key is solid preparation to get start. Most healthcare units seek assistance from an Authorized HITRUST External certificated partner, who can find the needed scope, type of assessment, and controls to address.
The scope of the assessment is a critical first step. It defines which organization units and subordinates are affect and is also cover by controls. There are a lot of requirements to reach the Certification.
Proper scoping helps your institute save time and money as you prepare for the HITRUST assessment process. This process has four main phases: readiness, remediation, validated assessment, and the HITRUST Quality Assurance review.
Readiness
The readiness step starts with reading. This assessment can be complete using the HITRUST MyCSF tool.
Once the scope has been found, the partner will examine and measure all documentation of policies and standards against existing HITRUST requirements and controls.
During this process, the assessor tests examine the control to confirm whether they work according to the list. All spaces are document for improvement. Depending on the size and complexity of the organization’s infrastructure, it can take up to 8 weeks.
Remediation
The organization will resolve the difference between performance and documents found during the preparation phase during this time. This stage aims to identify and classify the difference through the risk level in your organization.
It provides the organization with opportunities for a remedy before proceeding with a valid assessment. During the remedy phase, competent reviewers should work to understand the usual flow of data through the system’s environment and methods within the scope.
They analyze solutions to understand the organization’s control, identify gaps, and remove any gaps. After that, since the company works to address the problems, reviewers can provide ongoing support and review progress towards reaching compliance.
Depending on the type of remedial measures required by the organization, this process may take six months.
Validated Assessment
During the Validation, the certified partner examines the defined control requirements of each designated category. The site’s risk assessment usually involves interviewing key personnel, assessing additional documents, taking samples, penetrating tests, and risk scans. Each requirement or score is based on maturity:
- Policy, Process/Procedure,
- Implementation,
- Measured and Managed.
- According to control of maturity level, the levels of compliance are:
- Partially compliant,
- Fully compliant,
- Mostly compliant,
- Non-compliant.
During this phase, authorized assessors review and validate the organization’s scores. After that, they send the final evaluation for approval to HITRUST.
The final decision on the approval or denial of the application for the Certification has been made by HITRUST.
HITRUST’s Quality Assurance Review & Report Generation
After completion of the validation assessment, the assessment is submit to HITRUST for their quality assurance review and generation of the final report. HITRUST’s submission processing typically ranges from 4 to 8 weeks.
Final Words:
The HITRUST CSF is the healthcare industry’s most influential information security framework. The scope of the assessment is a crucial first step. It defines which organization units and subordinates are affect and is also cover by controls. There are a lot of requirements to reach the Certification.
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