Who Enforces HIPAA and How to Stay Compliant

HIPAA enforcement is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

OCR investigates:

• Complaints filed by individuals

• Reports of potential HIPAA violations

• Data breaches reported under the Breach Notification Rule

To stay compliant:

• Conduct regular risk assessments

• Maintain current policies and procedures

• Provide ongoing employee training

• Monitor for potential breach events and respond appropriately

• Ensure vendor compliance through robust Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)

Integrating HIPAA compliance efforts with frameworks like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 helps organizations strengthen their privacy and security posture, reducing enforcement risk.