The number of people affected by healthcare data breaches has nearly doubled since 2018, with the cost of each breach averaging $9.77 million. Now, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated the HIPAA Security Rule for the first time since 2013, amid increasing cybersecurity threats. The changes make certain security precautions mandatory and propose stronger access controls, among other improvements. However, many organizations may face challenges implementing these changes, such as substantial costs and technical requirements related to encryption and continuous monitoring.
Efforts to modernize healthcare data advancing
Dr. Tabitha Offut-Powell, vice president of Public Health Data Modernization and Informatics, spoke at the HIMSS25 conference in Las Vegas. She stressed the importance of
