Options Plentiful for Providers Seeking IT Security Help

A study of healthcare information security firms finds no market leader in a field with plenty of options to choose from.


A study of healthcare information security firms finds no market leader in a field with plenty of options to choose from.

Vendor research firm KLAS Enterprises interviewed 104 provider organizations on their top security concerns and with whom they had engaged to get help. This relatively small group of providers mentioned 46 different firms with three--CynergisTek, Deloitte and Verizon--mentioned most often. Providers are using multiple firms, including health information technology vendors such as Cerner and Siemens, to cover their bases on a variety of security issues, says report author Erik Westerlind.

The report tracks seven core security services being offered to providers: HIPAA/MU risk assessment, attack and penetration testing, privacy assessment, HIPAA breach advisory services, mobile security advisory services, managed/outsourced security services, and payment card industry data security standards. Fifty-nine percent of interviewed provider organizations said they have used a third-party firm for security and privacy services during the past 18 months.

Among healthcare IT consulting firms included in the report, Santa Rosa Consulting offers the most of these core services--four. Among five healthcare-specific security firms, Tom Walsh Consulting offers services in five core areas. Among 21 cross-industry security firms, FRSecure offers six of the seven services.

The most challenging security issues for interviewed provider organizations are unauthorized access/identity management, BYOD/remote device security, and network protection. The report, “Security and Privacy Perception 2014,” is available here. The cost is $980 for providers and $14,980 for others.

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