Compliance Glossary

The HITRUST Implemented, 1-Year (i1) Validated Assessment is a certification process for organizations seeking a foundational level of security assurance. Since it focuses on well-established security controls designed to meet common cybersecurity and compliance requirements without delving into the complexities, i1 is ideal for organizations that

1. Handle sensitive data but operate in lower-risk environments 
2. Want a quicker path to certification.

Unlike the HITRUST Risk-Based, 2-Year (r2) Assessment which evaluates the maturity of an organization’s security controls, the i1 assessment primarily focuses on the consistent implementation of foundational controls. These controls are based on widely recognized cybersecurity standards and best practices to ensure that organizations meet essential requirements for data protection and regulatory compliance. 

The i1 assessment is particularly suited for industries such as healthcare, technology, and finance, where securing data is critical, but the need for an in-depth, risk-based assessment may not be necessary.

The process starts with a readiness assessment to allow infosec teams identify gaps in their security posture. Once identified, a HITRUST Authorized External Assessor conducts the validated i1 assessment to verify that the required controls are in place and functioning as expected. 

Since the i1 assessment focuses on essential controls, it typically requires less time and effort than the r2 assessment. This enables teams to be certified faster.

Once completed, the certificate is valid for one year and demonstrates that your organization has implemented strong baseline security controls. This provides peace of mind to clients, partners, and regulators.