2008 HITRUST Health Information Security Survey

According to the 2008 HITRUST Health Information Security Survey, 85 percent of health information technology executives expect teamwork to be the key in developing a comprehensive framework for the improved protection of electronic health information. This first-annual survey, commissioned by HITRUST and conducted by KRC Research, interviewed 150 information security executives from across the industry in order to determine priorities, concerns and attitudes regarding health information security.

Key findings include:

• Clear concerns about the security of sensitive information: eight in ten executives (79%) are not very confident in the security maintained by their external partners
• A broad desire for a common security framework: more than eight in ten executives (85%) agreed it is time for the industry to "get together and develop a common set of standards, practices and policies"
• Multiple benefits evident from common security: almost four in ten (37%), said the biggest benefit of a security framework would be minimizing exposure to information theft, followed by increased customer confidence (29%), and increased compliance with government regulations (28%)
• A recognized need for leadership from within the healthcare community, not the government