HIPAA compliance is obligatory for hospitals, health insurers, and other covered entities, but they’re not the only ones that need it. Business associates that process protected health information must also meet HIPAA privacy and security standards. For law firms, CPAs, IT professionals, and similar companies, HIPAA certification can be valuable, especially if your clients expect it. However, before you can decide if the investment is worth it, you need to know how long HIPAA certification lasts.
Does a HIPAA Certificate Expire?
HIPAA certificates don’t usually have an expiration date in the traditional sense, but they don’t last forever, either. Before you can understand why, you need to know what HIPAA certification involves.
HIPAA Certification for Employees and Businesses
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services doesn’t offer any kind of HIPAA certification or credentialing program. Neither does the Office for Civil Rights, the agency that handles HIPAA enforcement.
Then, how can you show compliance? Some third-party training organizations or regulatory compliance consultants offer HIPAA certificates:
- HIPAA compliance assessments: Consultations to review your company’s HIPAA policies and practices, with expert recommendations to help you improve compliance
- Training courses for business professionals: Online classes to help doctors, nurses, HR employees, and other workers understand how to follow HIPAA rules
- HIPAA attestations of compliance: Unofficial audits of your company’s privacy and security standards for HIPAA compliance
Sometimes, a HIPAA certificate only means that your team has successfully completed a training course. Other times, the document outlines the accreditation organization’s report on your compliance. Each third-party firm sets its own rules and costs for HIPAA certificates.
How Long Does HIPAA Certification Last?
Compliance attestations for HIPAA are different from internationally recognized cybersecurity certification programs like ISO 27001. An attestation only provides a point-in-time snapshot of your company’s compliance. For all intents and purposes, the certificate is only valid for one day.
Third-party assessments only show that the certifying auditor believes your company has the policies in place to follow HIPAA requirements. Customers have no way of knowing how well your employees follow HIPAA rules for the rest of the year.
Is HIPAA Certification Worth It?
In general, third-party HIPAA certificates are only valuable if:
- The auditing or consulting firm is well-known and trusted
- Your customers specifically request it
- The OCR fined you for a HIPAA violation, and you want to show you’re making the necessary changes
As the HHS puts it, “There is no standard or implementation specification that requires a covered entity to ‘certify’ compliance.” Periodically reviewing your HIPAA program is important, but an in-house compliance officer can meet that requirement, especially with the help of monitoring platforms like Compyl.
Are There Any Alternatives To Prove HIPAA Compliance?
Organizations that need to demonstrate ongoing compliance with HIPAA and PCI DSS should consider HITRUST certification. The HITRUST framework offers a pathway to accreditation, and it covers HIPAA security and privacy requirements. HITRUST certification lasts one or two years, depending on the scope of the audit.
Embrace Continuous HIPAA Compliance
One of the best ways to show your customers that their data is safe in your hands is to consistently follow cybersecurity best practices. Continuous compliance lasts longer than HIPAA certification. Discover how Compyl’s automation tools can improve your HIPAA compliance and strengthen your cybersecurity defenses.
