Migrating from ISO 27001 to HIPAA
Approximately 70 ISO 27001 controls map to HIPAA safeguards. If you're ISO 27001 certified and entering the US healthcare market, you have strong security foundations. The gaps are primarily legal (BAAs) and PHI-specific procedures rather than technical controls.
Critical Compliance Gaps
PHI-Specific Requirements
HIPAA applies specifically to Protected Health Information (PHI). ISO 27001 is information security generally. PHI requires specific handling procedures.
Business Associate Agreements
HIPAA requires formal BAAs with any third party accessing PHI. ISO 27001 supplier management doesn't include this legal mechanism.
Breach Notification Timeline
HIPAA requires specific breach notification timelines (60 days to HHS for large breaches). ISO 27001 incident management is less prescriptive.
Patient Rights
HIPAA grants specific rights to patients regarding their health information. These are legal requirements beyond ISO 27001's scope.
Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap
Follow these 10 steps to achieve HIPAA compliance. Estimated timeline: 10 weeks.
Map ISO 27001 controls to HIPAA Security Rule safeguards
Identify all PHI data flows and systems
Draft Business Associate Agreements for vendors accessing PHI
Implement Minimum Necessary access controls for PHI
Create HIPAA-specific policies and procedures
Establish breach notification procedures meeting HIPAA timelines
Implement PHI-specific audit logging
Train workforce on HIPAA requirements
Document Notice of Privacy Practices
Conduct HIPAA-specific risk assessment
Unique HIPAA Requirements
Strategic Use Cases
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ISO 27001 to HIPAA Migration FAQs
Is ISO 27001 sufficient for US healthcare customers$7
No. HIPAA is a legal requirement for handling PHI in the US. While ISO 27001 demonstrates excellent security practices, healthcare customers and regulators specifically require HIPAA compliance.
How many ISO 27001 controls map to HIPAA$8
Approximately 70 ISO 27001 controls (out of 93 in Annex A) align with HIPAA safeguards. This represents about 65% coverage, with the remaining work being legal and procedural.
Do I need a HIPAA certification$9
HIPAA doesn't have formal certification like ISO 27001. Compliance is demonstrated through risk assessments, policies, BAAs, and often third-party attestation or assessments.
What are the penalties for HIPAA non-compliance$10
HIPAA violations range from $100 to $50,000 per violation, up to $1.5M annually per violation category. Criminal penalties can include imprisonment for willful violations.
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