Healthy, secure data repository

FireHost announces its new HealthData Repository, a HITRUST-certified private cloud infrastructure that protects regulated healthcare data. By decoupling electronic health records (EHR) and electronic protected health information (ePHI) from monolithic IT environments, HealthData Repository reduces the number of in-scope systems, therefore shortening the length and cost of compliance audits, while strengthening cloud security and performance. FireHost works with more than 150 healthcare focused organisations and its cloud infrastructure hosts millions of health data records.

Kurt Hagerman, FireHost’s chief information security officer, said that HealthData Repository offers enhanced security by isolating regulated data from the often monolithic infrastructure and broad administrative permission sets. In addition to providing control over access credentials, the service delivers pure cloud agility and scalability, allowing resources to be provisioned and decommissioned on demand.

“Every healthcare organisation has a multitude of records to protect, including data on paper, in email and scattered digital files. HealthData Repository isolates the most sensitive datasets from the general IT environment, while keeping it available via secure remote connections and decisive administrative permissions,” stated Hagerman. “And just as importantly, by keeping regulated data protected in a secure pod, HealthData Repository helps ensure the continuity that’s critical for healthcare environments and patient initiatives.”

Hagerman added that HealthData Repository offers multi-site capabilities across all FireHost data centre facilities while maintaining data sovereignty. Because it’s a HITRUST-certified infrastructure, customers enjoy a lighter compliance burden, less procedural documentation and faster audits. With low latency and multiple points of presence for global redundancy, the service offers a highest-performing private cloud infrastructure, while FireHost’s Intelligent Security Model eliminates the need to waste memory and processor resources on unwanted traffic.

“At Ai Cure Technologies, we are implementing state-of-the-art facial recognition software to confirm medication adherence on mobile devices. This platform is designed for use in high-risk patient populations and clinical trials. The data we gather must be kept secure, compliant with regulatory requirements, and available for real-time analysis,” said Adam Hanina, chairman and CEO of Ai Cure Technologies. “We have been very happy with FireHost’s HealthData Repository as it offers military-grade security and global locations that align well with national and global deployment.”

HealthData Repository is designed to benefit a variety of healthcare IT entities; some of the most successful implementations to date have been for:
· Research organisations: academic and research institutions can use HealthData Repository to boost performance and service continuity, scale resources on demand and keep sensitive research data protected while lowering compliance costs and hassles.
· Healthcare IT consultants: HealthData Repository helps IT providers control costs while providing access to security and performance their clients need.
· EHR solution providers and SaaS providers: Instead of investing in managing infrastructure to the latest security and compliance standard, software developers can spend time on higher priorities involving end user engagement and delivering exceptional healthcare solutions.
While these organisations are providing exciting new use cases for the service, hospital systems, public healthcare organisations and non-profit companies in the U.S. and UK are improving their information security posture and easing compliance burdens with the HealthData Repository. The Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) is one such example.

“For health information systems and exchanges to be broadly adopted, security must be at the core of how healthcare-focused organisations work with patient data. FireHost’s HealthData Repository is a strong example of how these organisations can protect their data, making it easier for them to comply with federal regulations such as HIPAA,” said Michael Frederick, vice president of assurance services at the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST). “It makes sense that FireHost created this service offering – they have continually been ahead of the curve when it comes to protecting healthcare data and were one of the first cloud service providers to achieve HITRUST CSF certification. Our faith in FireHost’s HealthData Repository is so strong, we utilise the service to protect our MyCSF tool.”