HITRUST Updates Security Framework, Adds Web-Based Tool

According to the Frisco,Texas-based Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST), its latest updates to the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF), will allow healthcare organization to more easily perform and manage CSF assessments, through a newly-created web-based tool and other upgrades. HITRUST, a collaboration of various healthcare, security, and risk management leaders, has created the CSF for healthcare organizations to “manage their information protection programs.”

The web-based tool, called MyCSF, integrates the CSF with other sources on data security protection and. It also has a customizable view, where healthcare organizations can see various views of the CSF based on multiple factors. HITRUST says this will allow organizations to capture unique risk information for its environment.  

“HITRUST offers comprehensiveness, scalability and simplicity within a single framework - built for healthcare - that is now supported by a full-featured and user-friendly tool that streamlines the CSF assessment and compliance process,” Daniel Nutkis, chief executive officer, HITRUST.

 According to HITRUST, the web-based tool also allows users to create dashboards and reports, based on the information they find, with a drag-and-drop application. The tool also can help organizations compare themselves to others at a “macro-level and a more granular level.”

In addition, the latest version of the CSF will have updates related to Stage 2 meaningful use requirements, and incorporate new standards and regulations, including “NIST SP 800-53 revision 4, Texas House Bill 300, the CORE security requirements, and a mapping to relevant COBIT 5 controls.” HISTRUST also says there have been updates to the CSF in regards to mobile, cloud, encryption, and third-party assurance.