Get HITRUST Certified Efficiently
HITRUST is a common requirement when you sell into healthcare. Buyers use it to reduce risk when Protected Health Information (PHI) or sensitive patient data touches your systems. The work is not only security controls. It is also scoping, evidence, and a validated assessment process with strict submission rules.
Neutral Partners helps you choose the right assessment type, implement and document controls, and organize evidence the way HITRUST assessors validate. You get a cleaner assessment and a program you can sustain after the certificate is issued.
At a Glance
- Best for: healthcare SaaS, payers, providers, business associates, and vendors handling PHI
- Assessment options: e1, i1, and r2 assessments based on the HITRUST CSF
- Outcome: validated assessment results and HITRUST certification when required
- What slows teams down: over‑scoping, weak evidence mapping, and gaps in operational proof
If a deal is waiting on HITRUST, start with scope and assessment selection.
Book a Discovery SessionWhat Is HITRUST
HITRUST is a security and compliance framework used heavily in healthcare and related industries. It provides a structured set of requirements mapped to common standards and regulations. Many organizations pursue HITRUST to satisfy third‑party risk requirements from customers, payers, and partners.
The practical value of HITRUST is third‑party validation. Your buyers do not want a promise. They want an independent assessment that proves your controls exist and operate.
HITRUST e1 vs i1 vs r2
HITRUST offers multiple assessment types so organizations can choose a level of assurance that matches risk and complexity.
- e1: an entry assessment for organizations that need a foundational security baseline
- i1: an implemented assessment for organizations that need stronger assurance and deeper evidence
- r2: a risk‑based assessment for organizations that need the highest assurance and tailored scope
The right choice depends on buyer demands, data sensitivity, and your security maturity. We help you select an assessment that matches the deal requirement without over‑scoping the work.
Who Needs HITRUST
HITRUST shows up most often when healthcare data is in scope, but it also appears in adjacent industries.
Common HITRUST candidates include:
- Healthcare SaaS vendors: platforms that store or process PHI on behalf of providers or payers
- Payers and insurers: organizations handling large volumes of member and claims data
- Providers and health systems: hospitals, clinics, and networks needing validated security assurance
- Pharma and life sciences: companies handling trial data, research data, and patient information
- Digital health and medical device ecosystems: connected services that interact with patient data workflows
- Service providers to healthcare: billing, analytics, customer support platforms, and hosting providers
What HITRUST Covers
HITRUST maps requirements across the full security lifecycle. Assessors look for governance and technical safeguards, plus proof that controls operate consistently.
Common coverage areas include:
- Governance and risk management: policies, risk assessment, and security leadership accountability
- Access control: MFA, least privilege, user lifecycle management, and access reviews
- Endpoint and network security: secure configurations, segmentation, and protection against common threats
- Vulnerability management: scanning, patching, and remediation proof
- Logging and monitoring: log collection, retention, review, and incident detection routines
- Incident response: procedures, training, and tabletop testing evidence
- Data protection: encryption, key management, and secure data handling
- Third‑party risk: vendor inventory, due diligence, and contract controls
Evidence Assessors Expect
HITRUST assessments are evidence heavy. Evidence must be clear, current, and mapped correctly in the assessment platform.
Typical evidence categories include:
- Policies and procedures: documented standards and execution guidance
- System descriptions and boundaries: inventories, diagrams, data flows, and scope narratives
- Operational artifacts: access reviews, training records, incident tickets, change tickets, backup reports
- Technical artifacts: configuration exports, screenshots, vulnerability scan results, logging dashboards
- Risk artifacts: risk assessments, remediation tracking, management review notes
- Vendor artifacts: vendor inventories, security reviews, contract clauses, and monitoring evidence
A useful rule: every control statement needs a dated artifact that proves it operated during the assessment period.
HITRUST Roadmap
Scope and select the assessment type
- define systems, environments, and data types in scope
- confirm what your customer actually requires: e1, i1, or r2
- align scope to business reality so you do not certify unused systems
Perform a readiness assessment
- map current controls to the HITRUST requirements
- identify missing technical controls, policy gaps, and evidence weaknesses
- prioritize remediation by risk and assessment impact
Implement controls and operational routines
- deploy missing security controls
- formalize operational routines for logging review, access review, patching, and incident response
- update policies and procedures to match how teams actually operate
Build evidence and map it in the assessment platform
- collect artifacts on a defined cadence
- label and store evidence in a traceable way
- map evidence to requirements so assessors can validate quickly
Support the validated assessment
- manage evidence requests and assessor questions
- close findings quickly and document remediation
- keep the submission package consistent and version controlled
Maintain certification readiness
HITRUST work pays off when you keep evidence current year‑round.
- schedule recurring control activities
- keep runbooks current as systems change
- maintain vendor reviews and access controls
- track remediation as part of normal operations
Need a HITRUST plan built for real deadlines?
We will confirm scope, choose the right assessment type, and build the roadmap that gets you to validation without chaos.
Schedule a Discovery SessionCommon HITRUST Gaps
- Over‑scoped environments: too many systems and data flows included without need
- Weak evidence mapping: artifacts exist, but they are not connected to requirements cleanly
- Access review gaps: MFA is enabled, but periodic access reviews are inconsistent or not evidenced
- Logging gaps: logs exist, but review and response processes are not documented or repeatable
- Patch discipline gaps: scanning occurs, but remediation and exception handling are not provable
- Vendor risk gaps: vendor inventory exists, but due diligence and monitoring are inconsistent
- Policy drift: written policies do not match actual operations, which assessors will flag
How Neutral Partners Helps
We help you move from intent to validated evidence.
What we deliver
- Scoping and assessment selection: choose e1, i1, or r2 based on the deal requirement
- Control buildout: implement technical and operational controls aligned to assessment expectations
- Evidence mapping: traceability from each requirement to current artifacts
- Readiness testing: internal audit style testing to find issues before the assessor does
- Assessment support: evidence request management and remediation validation
- Sustainment: a recurring evidence cadence and program operating model
Proof matters. Since 2017, we have maintained a 100% audit success rate across more than 700 successful audits and assessments. We keep that record by structuring evidence the way auditors and assessors validate.
HITRUST FAQs
How do we choose between e1, i1, and r2?
Start with buyer requirements. If the contract or payer requires a specific assessment type, match it. If not, base the decision on data sensitivity and the level of assurance you need to provide. We help you avoid over‑scoping while still meeting the requirement.
How long does HITRUST take?
Timelines depend on maturity and scope. Teams move faster when scope is tight and evidence collection starts early. The most common delays come from evidence mapping and late discovery of operational gaps.
Does SOC 2 replace HITRUST?
SOC 2 helps, but it does not replace HITRUST when buyers require HITRUST. You can reuse policies and some evidence, but you still need to map to HITRUST requirements and follow the HITRUST validated assessment process.
What will the assessor test most aggressively?
Access control, logging and monitoring, vulnerability management, incident response, and governance evidence. Assessors look for consistency and repeatability, not one‑time screenshots.
What is the biggest HITRUST risk?
Treating it as documentation only. HITRUST is an operating program. If you cannot prove routine execution, assessors will find gaps.
Key Resources
- HITRUST assessments and certifications overview
- HITRUST home
- NIST SP 800‑171 Rev. 3 (commonly referenced in healthcare security programs)
- HIPAA Security Rule overview
Useful Resources
- [Internal] HITRUST scope worksheet
- [Internal] Evidence register template
- [Internal] Assessment readiness checklist
Make HITRUST a Growth Lever
HITRUST is about buyer confidence. When evidence is clean and controls operate consistently, vendor reviews shorten and renewals get easier.
Start with a short working session. We will map your scope, your assessment type, and the next three moves.