HIPAA requires a risk analysis
The HIPAA Security Rule requires an accurate, documented security risk analysis, and it is one of the most common gaps found in investigations.
HIPAA-focused IT services for healthcare practices in Greater Boston
CMIT Solutions of Boston keeps medical, dental, behavioral health and specialty practices running, with managed IT, EHR support and security built around protecting patient information.
Patient care comes first
Systems that stay up during clinic hours and protect PHI all the time.
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Local office in NewtonServing Boston, Newton, Waltham and nearby towns
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24/7 monitoring and supportNights, weekends and holidays included
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900+ CMIT IT professionalsA national network behind your local team
What does managed IT for a healthcare practice include?
Managed IT for a healthcare practice covers 24/7 monitoring and help desk, EHR and practice management support, HIPAA Security Rule controls such as access management, encryption and audit logging, an annual security risk assessment, encrypted backups, secure email for PHI, and business associate agreements with the vendors involved.
Healthcare IT has to protect patients and keep the clinic moving
Every minute a system is down affects patients, and every record carries legal obligations.
Healthcare is a top ransomware target
Attackers know practices can't wait long to restore access to patient records.
EHR downtime stops the schedule
When the EHR or scheduling system is slow, visits back up and revenue waits.
Many vendors touch PHI
Labs, billing services and software vendors all need business associate agreements and oversight.
Managed IT built around patient care
From the front desk to the exam room, one team keeps your systems secure and running.
Managed IT
Proactive monitoring and maintenance for workstations, servers and medical office networks.
- 24/7 monitoring and patching
- Vendor coordination with EHR and imaging providers
- Quarterly technology planning
EHR and practice management support
Keep your EHR, scheduling and billing systems fast and available.
- Support for eClinicalWorks, athenahealth, Dentrix and similar
- Workstation and scanner setup
- Coordination with EHR vendor support
Cybersecurity for PHI
Layered protection for patient data on every device.
- Managed EDR and 24/7 response
- MFA and role-based access
- Encrypted email for PHI
HIPAA risk assessment and documentation
Security risk analysis, policies and evidence to support your HIPAA program.
- Annual security risk analysis
- Policy and procedure templates
- Workforce security training
Backup and disaster recovery
Patient data backed up, encrypted and recoverable after a failure or attack.
- Encrypted, immutable backups
- Monthly restore tests
- Downtime procedures and recovery plan
IT support for clinical staff
A help desk that understands clinic hours and patient flow.
- Priority handling for EHR and front-desk issues
- Remote and on-site support
- Onboarding and offboarding with access removal
Secure networks and Wi-Fi
Separate networks for clinical systems, staff and patients.
- Patient guest Wi-Fi isolated from clinical systems
- Managed firewalls
- Secure links between locations
Phones and telehealth
Reliable phone systems and secure video for virtual visits.
- Cloud phone systems for front desk
- Telehealth platform support
- Call routing across locations
Security built into every plan
Every managed IT plan includes these protections, so the basics are covered from day one.
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EDREndpoint detection and response on every device
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Email securityFiltering for phishing, malware and impersonation
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DNS filteringBlocks malicious and unwanted websites
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Access managementControlled accounts, permissions and directories
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Backup validationBackups checked so restores actually work
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Disaster recovery planA written plan to get you running again
EDREndpoint detection and response on every device
Email securityFiltering for phishing, malware and impersonation
DNS filteringBlocks malicious and unwanted websites
Access managementControlled accounts, permissions and directories
Backup validationBackups checked so restores actually work
Disaster recovery planA written plan to get you running again
The rules healthcare IT has to satisfy
Your practice remains responsible for compliance. We provide the technical safeguards, documentation and evidence behind it.
| Standard | What it asks of you | What we put in place |
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| HIPAA Security Rule | Administrative, physical and technical safeguards for electronic PHI, including a documented risk analysis. | Risk analysis, access control, encryption, audit logging and training. |
| HITECH breach notification | Notifying patients, HHS and sometimes media after a breach of unsecured PHI. | Encryption, incident response plan and logs. |
| 42 CFR Part 2 | Extra confidentiality for substance use disorder treatment records. | Access restrictions and segmentation of records. |
| 201 CMR 17.00 / M.G.L. c. 93H | Massachusetts WISP and breach notification requirements. | WISP and state notification planning. |
Which rules apply depends on your organization. We support your compliance program with technical controls and documentation; we don't provide legal advice.
A practical guide to IT for healthcare practices
Healthcare IT has to protect patient information without slowing down care. These are the steps that make the biggest difference for practices across Greater Boston.
Start with the risk analysis
A documented HIPAA security risk analysis shows where PHI lives, what could go wrong and what you're doing about it. It's also the first document investigators request. Our compliance services run the analysis, track remediation and repeat it after significant changes, such as moving to a new EHR. You can read more about growing safely in our article on scaling healthcare IT without compromising HIPAA.
Lock down access
Unique user accounts, MFA, automatic logoff and prompt removal of departed staff are some of the most effective safeguards a practice can have. Role-based access limits who sees which records. Our cybersecurity team configures these controls on workstations, email and cloud systems, and monitors for unusual activity.
Plan for EHR downtime
Even well-run systems go down. Written downtime procedures, printed schedules for the next day and tested data backup keep the clinic running while systems recover. Coordinate the plan with your EHR vendor so everyone knows who does what.
Keep business associates in view
Billing companies, IT providers, labs and software vendors may all handle PHI. Maintain a list of business associate agreements and review vendor access regularly. Our managed IT services include that oversight, along with IT support that understands clinic hours. Practices that also run community programs may find our nonprofit IT services useful.
Questions to ask before choosing an IT provider
Ask whether the provider will sign a business associate agreement, who performs the HIPAA security risk analysis, and how they coordinate with your EHR vendor. Ask how quickly they respond when front-desk systems fail during clinic hours, and how they handle access removal when staff leave. Written, specific answers are a good sign. Our network management team keeps clinical and guest networks separate, and our IT guidance service plans upgrades around your patient schedule.
Your HIPAA security risk analysis, done properly
The risk analysis is the foundation of HIPAA security and the first thing investigators ask for. We make it thorough, documented and repeatable.
- Inventory of every system and device that stores PHI
- Threats and vulnerabilities rated by likelihood and impact
- Written remediation plan with owners and dates
- Business associate inventory
- Repeated every year and after major changes
Local healthcare IT support you can reach
Locally owned and operated in Newton, MA
We support practices across Greater Boston and understand that a clinic can't pause for a ticket queue. Issues affecting patient care get handled first.
You get a named local team that learns your people and systems, backed by more than 900 CMIT IT professionals nationwide. We serve Boston, Newton, Waltham, Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Weston, Watertown, Needham, Wellesley and Burlington.
- 275 Grove Street, Ste 2-400, Newton, MA 02466
- (617) 657-1075
How we onboard a practice
Transitions are scheduled outside clinic hours to protect the patient schedule.
Assessment
Review of systems, PHI locations and current safeguards.
Risk analysis
Documented HIPAA security risk analysis and remediation plan.
Onboarding
Changes made after hours, with a signed business associate agreement.
Managed operations
Monitoring, help desk and an annual review.
Will you sign a business associate agreement?
Yes. Because we access systems that contain protected health information, we sign a business associate agreement before starting work, and we help you keep an inventory of the other vendors that need one.
Can you perform our HIPAA security risk analysis?
Yes. We inventory systems holding ePHI, assess threats and vulnerabilities, rate the risks and produce a written remediation plan. We repeat it annually and after significant changes, which is what regulators expect to see.
Do you support our EHR system?
Yes. We support the workstations, network, scanners and integrations your EHR depends on, and coordinate directly with your EHR vendor for application issues, so your staff has one number to call.
How do you protect patient data from ransomware?
We combine managed EDR, MFA, email filtering, patching and staff training with encrypted, immutable backups that are tested monthly. If an attack happens, we can restore systems without paying a ransom.
Can you set up secure email for sending PHI?
Yes. We configure encrypted email so staff can send PHI to patients and other providers securely, with policies that prompt encryption when sensitive information is detected.
Do you work with dental and behavioral health practices?
Yes. We support medical, dental, behavioral health, physical therapy and specialty practices. Behavioral health providers subject to 42 CFR Part 2 get additional access restrictions for those records.
How is pricing structured?
Managed IT is a flat monthly rate, usually per user or device, agreed in writing after the assessment. It covers monitoring, help desk and security, so your costs are predictable.
What happens during the free IT assessment?
We review your network, devices, backups, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace setup and security controls, then give you a written summary of risks ranked by business impact and a clear list of what to fix first. There is no cost and no obligation, and for healthcare practices we include the compliance requirements that usually apply to you.
Can you work alongside our in-house IT person?
Yes. Many clients keep an internal IT person and use us to extend their team. We can take on monitoring, security, backups, after-hours coverage or specific projects, so your internal staff can focus on the work that needs someone on site every day.
Is support available on nights, weekends and holidays?
Yes. Systems are monitored 24/7, and you can reach our support desk at any time of day, including nights, weekends and holidays. Urgent issues are handled immediately, and our local team comes on site when a problem needs hands-on work.
Which areas of Greater Boston do you serve?
Our office is at 275 Grove Street in Newton. We support organizations in Boston, Newton, Waltham, Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Weston, Watertown, Needham, Wellesley and Burlington, plus surrounding communities. Remote support covers every location, and on-site visits are scheduled when hardware or a site survey requires it.
Protect your patients' data and your schedule
Book a no-obligation IT and HIPAA security assessment and get a written summary of risks and next steps.
- Review of your network, devices, backups and security
- Risks ranked by their impact on your day-to-day operations
- Compliance requirements that apply to you
- A written plan for what to fix first
Prefer to talk?(617) 657-1075
Visit us275 Grove Street, Ste 2-400, Newton, MA 02466