ScienceSoft’s Approach to Security Management in Healthcare IT Projects

Lack of healthcare-specific cybersecurity skills

Some vendors with limited experience in healthcare IT rely on their general data security expertise and implement standard cyber defenses in their development, testing, and production environments. Although standard cybersecurity measures (e.g., data encryption, multi-factor authentication, role-based access control) are also necessary for PHI protection, they’re not enough for full compliance with health data protection regulations.

Without a solid grasp of HIPAA’s Security Rule, HITECH provisions, or GDPR’s Article 9, you run the risk of overlooking critical safeguards like audit logging for access traceability, security incident procedures, and risk analysis documentation. This can result in solutions that are technically secure but fail during regulatory reviews or investigations due to nonconformance with required administrative and organizational controls.

Focus on regulatory requirements from day one

Working in healthcare IT since 2005, we have been closely following the evolution of health data privacy regulations and constantly refining our strategies in safeguarding PHI. From the early stages of software engineering to the ongoing maintenance of IT infrastructures, we ensure every decision is made with a clear understanding of its impact on the healthcare organization’s security and compliance posture.

Beyond just protecting apps and infrastructures, we place strong emphasis on security policies, risk management documentation, and our own practices that are subject to regulatory oversight. For example, we make sure that access to PHI is restricted in non-production environments and granted only to authorized staff in production environments — strictly for completing tasks defined in the Business Associate Agreement (BAA) under HIPAA.

No real enforcement of PHI security policies

Despite introducing PHI security policies in line with regulatory requirements, some vendors do not actively monitor and control whether their staff comply with them. Without an enforcement system, there's a risk that the measures in these policies will only exist on paper.

Consistent PHI security policy enforcement

Our dedicated Compliance Officers with a background in healthcare IT oversee team adherence to all healthcare-specific security policies, from implementing physical safeguards to conducting staff training and regular vulnerability testing. They conduct regular internal security standard audits and advise staff on all matters related to PHI security.

Focus on cost savings over protection

Some vendors prioritize bare-minimum technical safeguards and do not invest in costly physical security controls, trustworthy infrastructure, or advanced cybersecurity tools. This approach may cover the basics but often ignores organizational safeguards, such as secure hardware disposal, visitor access monitoring, or environment hardening. The result is a fragmented security posture that leaves critical attack surfaces unprotected.

Сomprehensive security validated by ISO auditors

Client data security is ScienceSoft’s top priority, and we've invested heavily in it for years. Our ISO 27001 certificate confirms that we operate a mature, risk-based information security management system and follow globally recognized best practices, including physical, administrative, and technical controls to protect sensitive data.