CEP Event – Why is HITRUST Certification essential for your US Health GTM Strategy? | Date: 11th August 2025 | Time: 2:30 PM IST

HITRUST®

Assessment Types e1 ,  i1 ,  r2

Protecting Patients and Sensitive Healthcare Information

The HITRUST Framework (HITRUST CSF®) offers a robust, risk-based certifiable framework that enables healthcare service providers of all types, sizes, and complexities to seamlessly integrate compliance with a broad spectrum of regulations, standards, and best practices. HITRUST assessments are designed to enhance mitigation against evolving threats.

HITRUST Certification

Accorian’s
HITRUST Services

Accorian’s HITRUST Services

At Accorian, we specialize in guiding healthcare organizations through the HITRUST certification process. Our services include:

Gap Analysis: We conduct a thorough review to identify current compliance gaps and provide actionable recommendations.

Framework Implementation: Our team assists in implementing the HITRUST CSF® controls tailored to your organization’s specific needs.

Preparation for Certification: We help organizations prepare for the HITRUST certification process, ensuring all requirements are met for a smooth evaluation.

HITRUST CSF® Validation: We perform comprehensive HITRUST CSF® audits to evaluate your compliance status for certification.

Training and Awareness: We provide training programs to educate staff on HITRUST® standards and best practices for data protection.

With the recent release of HITRUST’s e1 and i1 versions, organizations can enhance their defenses against evolving cyber threats while accelerating the journey to higher levels of assurance. Partner with Accorian to strengthen your compliance efforts and safeguard sensitive healthcare information effectively.

Accorian's HITRUST Certification

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    Why Should You Adopt HITRUST?

    Regulatory Compliance

    HITRUST® harmonizes best practices from more than 50 standards, frameworks, and regulations to address all 19 domains of security and risk management of cyber threats.
    HITRUST Certification regulatory

    Risk Management

    Helps identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

    HITRUST Certification risk management

    Streamlined Processes

    Integrates multiple compliance requirements into a single framework.

    HITRUST Certification streamlined process

    Enhanced Security Posture

    Strengthens overall security measures against data breaches.

    HITRUST Certification security posture

    Market Advantage

    Achieving certification boosts your reputation and competitiveness.

    HITRUST Certification market advantage

    Stakeholder Confidence

    Meets key regulations related to ways and means of showcasing assurance to your healthcare clients.

    HITRUST Certification stake holder

    Adaptability to Change

    Regular updates keep compliance efforts relevant against emerging threats.

    HITRUST Certification adaptability to change
    How to adopt HITRUST Certification
    Adopting HITRUST® protects sensitive healthcare information and positions your organization for long-term success in a complex regulatory landscape.

    Types of HITRUST Assessments

    HITRUST® provides a comprehensive security and compliance framework that integrates and harmonizes over 60 authoritative sources, including HIPAA, NIST, ISO, GDPR, and more. The HITRUST® approach allows organizations to achieve scalable and efficient assessments that align with their unique risk and regulatory requirements.

    01

    HITRUST e1 Assessment

    The HITRUST e1 Assessment provides a streamlined, cost-effective approach to foundational cybersecurity assurance. Aligned with NIST CSF, it evaluates essential controls for low-risk organizations, vendors, and those new to HITRUST®. Validated by a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor®, successful organizations receive a HITRUST e1 Certification. As a stepping stone in the HITRUST framework, the e1 helps organizations strengthen security and progress toward higher-level assessments like the i1 or r2.

    02

    HITRUST i1 Assessment

    The HITRUST i1 Assessment uses a flexible, risk-based approach that adjusts to emerging cyber threats. It’s built for organizations and vendors with moderate risk levels and focuses on proven security practices informed by the latest threat intelligence. Every i1 Assessment is verified by a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor®, ensuring consistent and credible results. Organizations that pass receive a HITRUST i1 Certification, valid for one year.  This adaptability ensures that the assessment remains relevant in today’s rapidly changing threat landscape.

    03

    HITRUST r2 (Risk-Based) Validated Assessment

    The HITRUST r2 Assessment is the gold standard for cybersecurity and compliance, offering the highest level of assurance. Tailored for high-risk organizations, it evaluates up to 2000+ controls based on multiple frameworks (NIST, ISO, HIPAA, PCI-DSS). The r2 is validated by a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor® and undergoes HITRUST Quality Assurance review. Organizations achieving certification (valid for two years) demonstrate comprehensive security and compliance maturity, with an interim assessment required in year one.

    Why HITRUST Certification Matters for Health Information Exchanges (HIEs)

    HITRUST certification plays a critical role in streamlining compliance for Health Information Exchanges. It integrates multiple regulatory standards such as HIPAA, NIST, and ISO into one unified framework. This consolidation simplifies the audit process and enhances regulatory alignment throughout the organization. Achieving HITRUST certification fosters confidence among key stakeholders. It assures hospitals, laboratories, payers, and other partners that sensitive health data is being managed with the highest standards of security and accountability. By proactively identifying and addressing security gaps, HITRUST certification helps organizations reduce the risk of data breaches. It also minimizes the likelihood of costly regulatory penalties and reputational harm. The framework is scalable, which means it supports the secure expansion of systems and enables seamless integration across diverse platforms and partner ecosystems. This capability makes it a valuable asset for growing organizations. Earning HITRUST certification signals a high level of security maturity. It demonstrates that the organization adopts a proactive and structured approach to managing risk, rather than treating compliance as a checklist exercise. As third-party assurance becomes a standard expectation in the healthcare industry, HITRUST certification significantly enhances an organization’s marketability. It strengthens its credibility in the eyes of prospective partners and supports successful contract acquisition and long-term collaboration.

    Comparing HITRUST Assessments

    ESSENTIALS 1-YEAR

    HITRUST e1
    • An e1 is a baseline certification
    • 44 fixed controls
    • Yearly certification
    • Assessment Complexity: Low
    • Small, non-complex environments

    IMPLEMENTED 1-YEAR

    HITRUST i1
    • An i1 is the stepping-stone certification
    • 182 fixed controls
    • Annual re-certification
    • Assessment Complexity: Moderate
    • Moderate assurance needs

    RISK BASED 2-YEARS

    HITRUST r2
    • An r2 is a comprehensive risk-based certification
    • Up to 2,000+ (risk-based selection)
    • 2 years (with interim assessment)
    • Assessment Complexity: High
    • Highly regulated industries & complex organizations

    Accorian’s Proven Approach

    HITRUST Certification's methodology
    01

    Gap Assessment

    1. Define scope for HITRUST®
    2. Use the HITRUST MyCSF® tool to understand number of controls in consideration
    3. High level review of the HITRUST® controls and identify gaps against current state
    4. Create a roadmap plan towards certification
    02

    Roadmap Execution

    1. Work with you to implement roadmap
    2. Assist with creating policies/procedures
    3. Perform required security testing
    4. Provide program management
    03

    Incubation

    HITRUST® requires organizations to demonstrate implementation of their policies and procedures for at least 90 days prior to initiating the Validated Assessment

    04

    Validated Assessment

    1. Accorian will give detailed instructions on how to upload the necessary evidence
    2. Accorian will test against control requirements, comment, and score each control
    3. Submit Validated r2 Assessment to HITRUST® for Validation/ Certification
    05

    Maintenance

    1. For an e1, annual Validated Assessment​
    2. For an i1, rapid recertification in the second year​
    3. For an r2, an interim assessment in the second year

    HITRUST For AI Systems

    Accorian provides Readiness and Certification Services for the HITRUST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the HITRUST AI Framework Certification, helping healthcare organizations govern and certify their AI systems responsibly and securely.

    Access Our HITRUST Brochures

    HITRUST Guide

    HITRUST Guide

    Ideal AI Security Framework Brochure

    Accorian Team Members Appointed to
    HITRUST Authorized EA COUNCIL

    Accorian Team Members Appointed to HITRUST Authorized EA COUNCIL

    Our members of the HITRUST Authorized External Assessor® Council represent the highest number of individuals from any company on the council. The council fosters partnerships between HITRUST® and leading Assessors who contribute their extensive knowledge and experience to:
    HITRUST Certification share insight

    Share insights and challenges related to HITRUST® services

    HITRUST Certification valuable input

    Provide valuable input on the HITRUST CSF® Assurance Program, ensuring its continued integrity, effectiveness, and efficiency

    HITRUST Certification advocate

    Advocate for the industry’s highest standards in information security and privacy

    Our HITRUST Directors

    Why Choose Accorian?

    As an HITRUST Authorized External Assessor®, Accorian specializes in assisting businesses of all sizes to achieve certification. Our security team possesses extensive experience in HITRUST® implementation and certification, enabling us to serve as your full-service cybersecurity partner throughout the process.
    Audits
    10 +
    Engagements
    10 +
    Tests Conducted
    100 +
    Clients
    10 +
    Client Retention
    10 %

    Trusted By Leading Clients

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    We executed our annual penetration test with the help of Accorian's team. They were great to work with and provided a clear and detailed report that helped us strengthen the security profile of our apps and brand site. Their findings were current and included extremely clear explanations of the risks and the steps needed to remediate them. I rest easier knowing we've closed those issues.

    – Paul Degnan, Head of Engineering at OSHI Health

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    We love GoRICO! It has streamlined our audit process with its intuitive interface and powerful features, making compliance management more efficient and less time-consuming. GoRICO has transformed our approach to GRC, providing clarity and confidence in our compliance efforts.

    – Morgan Kershner, Security Officer at Novus Health Systems

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    Launching a healthcare business is diffcult enough before you factor in the hours and expertise required to manage PHI in a secure and compliant manner. Finding a trusted partner to guide us through the process had been an enormous headache until we were introduced to Accorian. In addition to their technical and project management know-how as our HITRUST shepherds and assessors, they've been incredible partners in every sense of the word as they've patiently and expertly guided us through the process and remained flexible to our timelines and needs. Steven Waye, President & Chief Product Officer, Agathos

    – Steven Waye, President & Chief Product Officer at AGATHOS

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