New CAST Case Study: Enhancing HIPAA Compliance and Cybersecurity

December 09, 2024

BY CAST

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Expert assessments and penetration testing elevated care communities' preparedness.

When LeadingAge CAST Patron RiverSpring Living decided to enhance its Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance and cybersecurity strategies, it partnered with BlueOrange Compliance, a LeadingAge Bronze Partner with CAST Focus that simplifies compliance, security, and privacy in health care. RiverSpring Living offers a full range of senior care communities and programs in the New York City metropolitan area, serving nearly 20,000 residents annually.

After receiving risk assessments to identify compliance gaps, penetration testing, recommendations, and staff training, RiverSpring Living is now well-positioned to meet HIPAA regulations and resist cyberthreats. A new LeadingAge CAST case study, "Enhancing Compliance and Cybersecurity Strategies with BlueOrange Compliance," shares successes and learnings from this effort.

RiverSpring Living brought in a partner for this initiative, recognizing the importance of a strong cybersecurity posture and the challenges that internal teams face in doing this work. In-house information technology staff may not have the capacity or expertise to fully evaluate a system for technical vulnerabilities, making involvement from BlueOrange Compliance or a similarly experienced partner an effective way to reduce risk.

The risk assessment evaluated RiverSpring's IT infrastructure, including cloud-based systems and electronic medical records; network architecture; data storage solutions; and cybersecurity protocols. Penetration testing simulated real-world attacks to determine how likely a cybercriminal could carry out a successful cyberattack and to identify areas where RiverSpring Living could plug vulnerabilities.

To meet the organization's specific operational needs, the partners also implemented robust security controls, established continuous monitoring protocols, and set up ongoing support to amplify compliance and security practices. The proactive approach positions RiverSpring Living with heightened levels of HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity.

After the initiative was completed, RiverSpring Living benefitted from several highly positive results:

• Reduced risk of ransomware and phishing attacks through proactive vulnerability management,
• Streamlined compliance processes to improve audit readiness, and
• Enhanced confidence across the organization in safeguarding sensitive data.

To learn more about the process and to see advice for aging services providers looking to beef up their HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity, read the full case study.