Are You 100% Confident in Your HIPAA Posture?
TL;DR
Most growth stage health tech startups think they’ve “covered HIPAA.” But compliance isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about protecting patient trust, preserving your reputation, and staying prepared before a security or privacy incident creates harm you didn’t see coming. In this edition, we spotlight 3 blind spots that quietly escalate into real-world consequences for your patients, your brand, and your future.
Key takeaways:
✅Hidden HIPAA gaps often go unnoticed, until they cause damage
✅ Patient trust can be quickly lost with PHI data breaches
✅ Without true compliance ownership, accountability slips through the cracks
✅ Risk assessments are the difference between safety and crisis management.
✅ Vendor oversight can expose you even when your systems are strong.
1) Who’s Accountable for HIPAA and Patient Data Protection?
HIPAA requires someone to be responsible. Not just technically but strategically.
✅ Do you have a named CISO, vCISO, or equivalent?
✅ Is security built into your company strategy, not just IT?
✅ Are you using a framework like NIST CSF or ISO 27001?
It matters: Without dedicated CISO leadership, risk hides in plain sight, especially in your processes, documentation, and decision-making. Gaps widen silently and are often noticed only after real harm is done.
👉Request the Strategic Guide for Health Tech Leaders to uncover security blind spots before your customers or regulators do.
2) When Was the Last Time You Assessed Real Risk?
A HIPAA Risk Assessment is a discipline. And it needs to happen frequently.
✅ Have you completed a HIPAA Risk Assessment in the past 12 months?
✅ Have you classified your systems and PHI?
✅ Do you have a current remediation plan with measurable progress?
It matters: Many breaches are preventable if risk are regularly assessed and remediated. If not you're likely exposed. Without this foundation, patients bear the consequences and your brand takes the hit.
Do Your Vendors Handle PHI as Carefully as You?
Trust can’t stop at your firewall.
Vendors are extensions of your offering.
Especially in the age of AI.
✅ Are Business Associate Agreements signed and reviewed?
✅ Are vendors’ security controls validated before and after onboarding?
✅ Can you demonstrate that your entire data-sharing process is HIPAA-compliant?
It matters: In 2024, 42% of healthcare breaches involved third parties. You may have strong internal controls, but one vendor mishap can lead to regulatory action, reputational damage, and loss of trust.
Request the Health Tech Vendor Security Checklist to evaluate your third-party risks before it jeopardize your trust, data, and reputation.
What This Means For Health Tech Leaders
📌 Own compliance at the leadership level Compliance is a business responsibility and enterprise health systems expect it. When health tech leaders lead from the front, security becomes a strategic advantage, not a reactive fix.
📌 Protect patient trust before it’s tested Every HIPAA decision signals how seriously you take patient safety. Trust is earned through accountability, documentation, and readiness.
📌 Treat vendors as part of your security perimeter In 2024, nearly half of healthcare breaches involved third parties. Vendor due diligence is essential. Ensure your partners don’t compromise your promise.
Final Thoughts
HIPAA is about being compliant and accountable.
Make sure your integrity reflects the care your company stands for.
