Page 72 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2025

party support. Thus, now is the time to identify the right trusted IT management firm to assist with
enhanced security and, eventually, regulatory compliance.

Look for firms with a deep understanding of healthcare-specific compliance requirements. Prospective
partners should also offer comprehensive services to ensure they can address the comprehensive needs
related to compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule and other issues that may arise, including the ability
to future-proof security. They should also possess advanced expertise and the willingness and ability to
leverage cutting-edge tools and processes that can outperform older or less adaptive technologies.

Look for a partner that emphasizes long-term relationships and offers personalized customer support.
Other must-haves include flexibility and scale in their approach to services, transparent price structures,
and simple contracts with clear and fair service terms. Finally, during the evaluation process, be sure to
ask prospects about response times and disaster recovery capabilities and obtain—and check—
references.

A Proactive Approach

While the final requirements may differ from what has been proposed, there is little likelihood that OCR
will retract its decision to overhaul the HIPAA Security Rule. It is an action that is long overdue and should
serve as a reminder that strengthening data protection is the right thing to do, whether mandated by OCR
or not.

Taking steps now to prepare for the inevitable will significantly ease compliance burdens and improve
the protection of one of healthcare’s most valuable assets. For those hospitals, health systems, physician
practices, and other impacted healthcare organizations with limited resources, identifying the right IT
management partner now and taking small steps toward compliance will put them on the right path to
protecting patient data.

About the Author

Erik Eisen is the CEO of CTI Technical Services, a leading provider of IT
support and cybersecurity services, serving a diverse clientele across various
industries, including healthcare, dental, hospitality, legal, manufacturing, and
others. For more than 20 years, Erik has provided security and cybersecurity,
implemented state-of-the-art technology solutions, and delivered services that
protect the integrity of businesses’ data and, more importantly, their clients’
and customers’ data. He is at the forefront of exploring AI integration to help
enterprises enhance operations while preserving the essential human touch,
ensuring that new technologies are effectively adopted to improve client
service.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2025 Edition 72
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