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HITRUST, a health industry consortium best known for developing the Common Security Framework of best practices, has teamed with the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, known as ISC2, to develop information technology security education and certification programs in health care.

A recent HITRUST study of nearly 500 major breaches of health information during the past three years found little progress to improving defenses against certain types of breaches. The goal of the new initiative with ISC2 is to help information security professionals obtain the skills they need to be successful, says Daniel Nutkis, CEO at HITRUST. The program also will focus on cybersecurity issues.

The collaboration will start with establishment of metrics for qualifications held by health care information security professionals and a credential-building workshop in January.

Among other contributors, participating privacy and security officers from health care organizations include Cathy Beech of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Kevin Charest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Leo Dittemore of HealthCare Partners, Kevin Haynes of Nemours Foundation, Darren Lacey of Johns Hopkins Health System, Taylor Lehmann of Independent Health, Joy Poletti of Catholic Health Initiatives and Jason Zahn of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

More information is available at hitrustalliance.net and isc2.org.