What HITRUST is
The HITRUST Alliance is a private organization founded in 2007. Its framework, the HITRUST CSF, combines requirements from HIPAA, NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and other sources into one set of controls. Many health systems and payers ask vendors for HITRUST certification because one assessment answers many frameworks at once.
HITRUST offers three validated assessments. The e1 covers essential cybersecurity hygiene and is valid for one year. The i1 adds a broader set of leading-practice controls and is also valid for one year. The r2 is tailored to the organization's risk factors, is the most comprehensive, and is valid for two years with an interim review. An authorized external assessor performs each one, and HITRUST reviews the results.
HIPAA does not require HITRUST, and HHS does not certify HIPAA compliance. HITRUST certification is strong evidence of mature safeguards, but a vendor handling PHI still needs a BAA. HITRUST differs from SOC 2: HITRUST certifies against prescriptive controls, while SOC 2 is a CPA attestation against broader criteria. Some vendors hold both.