Networking to Play Growing Role in Medical Vertical

However, despite recent efforts, Congress has yet to catch up with the private sector on the matter of standards and regulation, leaving independent bodies to take matters into their own hands. The nonprofit [Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) is tackling personal health records standardization and plans to certify functionality in 2009. The organization does have government support for this endeavor — it landed a contract with the Department of Health and Human Services in 2005 to develop, create prototypes for, and evaluate certification criteria and inspection processes for electronic health records.

Naturally, communications service providers are getting in on the act as well. For example, Verizon Business runs a health care division that certifies firms’ security and regulatory compliance. One of its customers is TriZetto Group Inc., a provider of administration software, professional services and business process outsourcing to the health care vertical. At least twice a year, Verizon Business tests TriZetto’s assets, including data centers and MPLS networks. TriZetto then earns compliance certification, which instills customer confidence, said Gary Starling, chief security officer for TriZetto.

But what passed muster last year might not work this year, illustrating how compliance is a process and not “a finish line,” said Cindy Bellefeuille, director of product management security solutions for Verizon Business. Controls overseen by regulations such as HIPAA can change as technology evolves. Service providers have to stay ahead of the curve.

“One can’t think of data that can be more sensitive than the health of an individual,” Bellefeuille said.

Barry Zipp, executive director of managed business applications for Verizon Business, agreed. “We have a stake as a health care user to ensure that health care technology is being optimally applied across the industry,” Zipp said.

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