Healthcare organizations currently face increased Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) audits, specifically focused on cybersecurity. Although these changes bring a positive shift in keeping patient data secure, implementing the proper protections can present challenges.
What are the most effective ways to keep your organization’s print infrastructure and cybersecurity measures up to date? Learn about the best approaches to meet HIPAA compliance needs and confidently tackle audits with this guide.
Why are HIPAA Audits Increasing in 2025?
In the simplest terms, HIPAA audits continue to rise due to various governmental and technological changes. This chain reaction begins with enhanced cyberattacks, which have now resulted in regulatory shifts.
As cyberattacks become more sophisticated and difficult for organizations to defend against, the healthcare industry has seen an increase in successful ransomware attacks and data breaches, which creates major privacy issues with electronic protected health information (ePHI).
Findings from the Office of Inspector General’s Report
In November 2024, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report covering the findings of an audit spurred by increased cyberattacks in the healthcare space. OIG found that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR)’s audit implementation did not adequately assess ePHI protections, resulting in an ineffective reduction of cyber risks.
OIG’s report made recommendations for OCR to enhance its HIPAA audit program to achieve the following goals:
Expand the scope of its HIPAA audits to assess compliance with physical and technical safeguards from the HIPAA Security Rule, document and implement standards and guidance for ensuring that deficiencies identified during the HIPAA audits are corrected in a timely manner, and define metrics for monitoring the effectiveness of OCR’s HIPAA audits at improving audited covered entities and business associates’ protections over ePHI and periodically review whether these metrics should be refined.
Updates to HIPAA in 2025
As a result, the HHS issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to improve the protection of ePHI. Changes will be made in 2025 to remediate these issues. Previously, healthcare organizations and companies only needed to claim HIPAA compliance without proof, and audits generally only occurred in the event of a breach affecting 500+ patients. However, the HIPAA 2025 proposal suggests various robust enhancements. These proposed requirements include:
- Annual compliance audits of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards
- Mandatory implementation of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all ePHI access points
- Encryption of ePHI in transit and at rest
- Biannual vulnerability scans and annual penetration tests
- Required notification within 24 hours when ePHI access is revoked
How to Meet HIPAA Requirements in Print and Cybersecurity
Now that HIPAA requirement changes are on the horizon and OCR audits are underway, your healthcare organization must enhance operations to ensure compliance. How can healthcare organizations meet HIPAA requirements in print and cybersecurity? The following strategies can help you protect your sensitive patient data more effectively:
1. Develop Robust Organizational Policies
Healthcare facilities deal with highly valuable protected health information daily. To keep cybercriminals at bay, organizations of all sizes need to implement robust policies. Developing organization-wide policies that carefully outline rules and guidelines for handling data empowers your entire workforce to use technology responsibly. Your IT department or a third-party cybersecurity provider should create detailed guidelines according to industry best practices, and this information should be easily accessible for all employees.
2. Conduct Risk Assessments
Preparing your organization for HIPAA audits means conducting in-house audits. Healthcare organizations should regularly conduct risk assessments to search for vulnerabilities and assess the current strength of cybersecurity measures. Analyzing the current cybersecurity infrastructure allows organizations to proactively address weaknesses and implement changes to maintain the utmost security.
3. Keep Your Print Infrastructure Up to Date
As simple as this step may sound, keeping your systems up to date is a crucial part of maintaining security. Many organizations overlook the importance of updating printer firmware, but keeping these devices updated ensures any vulnerabilities are patched promptly. In the same vein, outdated print devices should be phased out and replaced with modern models that can implement the necessary security measures. Vulnerable print devices can serve as easy entry points for hackers, so consider the security of all devices within your facility’s network.
4. Implement Secure Print Release
Ensuring the right users access printed documents is a critical aspect of printer security. All print devices within your organization should have secure print release features, as this step can prevent information from getting into the wrong hands. Secure print release halts immediate printing and instead requires the user to verify their identity on the device before the print job is completed. In the healthcare setting, this is necessary to keep PHI safe.
5. Physically Secure Your Print Fleet
Although implementing digital security measures is incredibly valuable, physically protecting your print fleet is another important part of cybersecurity. Your printers should be placed strategically where only authorized users can access them. Additionally, all employees should be instructed not to leave unsecured documents sitting on the printer. These measures, along with encrypted data and regular data wiping on your printers, ensure your devices are secure from physical threats.
6. Enhance Employee Security Awareness
Last but not least, your employees need comprehensive, regular security awareness training to keep your organization safe. The human risk is a major threat to cybersecurity at organizations across all industries, and the only way to combat this risk is to keep your employees educated and informed. Regularly train your employees on cybersecurity best practices to avoid common attacks like phishing and rising threats such as deepfake scams.
Prepare Your Healthcare Facility for HIPAA Auditing
The rise of audits and proposed changes to regulations present new hurdles for healthcare organizations to overcome, but understanding the changes and implementing security features accordingly will minimize risks at your organization. With the help of a trusted cybersecurity provider, you can stay secure in the healthcare space.
GoodSuite offers comprehensive technology solutions, including cyber risk assessments, managed IT services, and managed print services in Woodland Hills and throughout Southern California, all designed to keep your company’s infrastructure secure. We have delivered top-rated solutions for over 25 years, and with our help, you can effectively prepare for HIPAA audits.
Request an assessment of your business online or call us today to learn more about our services.
