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Complete your required annual Security Risk Assessment in under 15 minutes. Get a detailed compliance report with actionable recommendations — absolutely free, no credit card required.
What is a HIPAA Security Risk Assessment?
A HIPAA Security Risk Assessment (SRA) is a comprehensive evaluation of your healthcare organization's security posture as it relates to protecting electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). The HIPAA Security Rule specifically requires all covered entities and business associates to conduct an "accurate and thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability" of ePHI.
This isn't optional guidance — it's a legal requirement under 45 CFR 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A). The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces HIPAA, has made it abundantly clear that failure to conduct a thorough and timely risk assessment is one of the most common findings in their investigations. In fact, the lack of a proper SRA is cited in the majority of HIPAA enforcement actions and settlements.
The risk assessment process involves identifying where ePHI is created, received, maintained, or transmitted; analyzing potential threats and vulnerabilities; assessing current security measures; determining the likelihood and impact of potential risks; and prioritizing risks for mitigation. This systematic approach helps you understand exactly where your practice is vulnerable and what steps you need to take to achieve compliance.
Our free online tool automates this entire process, guiding you through each required element while generating the documentation you need to demonstrate compliance during an OCR audit. Instead of spending weeks on a manual assessment or paying consultants thousands of dollars, you can complete a thorough, audit-ready SRA in minutes.
Why is the Security Risk Assessment Required?
HIPAA Security Rule Mandate
The HIPAA Security Rule at 45 CFR 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A) explicitly requires covered entities to "conduct an accurate and thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information held by the covered entity." This is the foundation of your entire HIPAA compliance program — without it, you cannot properly implement the other required safeguards.
Meaningful Use / MIPS Requirements
If your practice participates in Medicare's Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or has previously attested to Meaningful Use, you've already certified that you conduct annual security risk assessments. CMS requires eligible professionals to "protect electronic protected health information created or maintained by the certified EHR technology through the implementation of appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards" — which requires an SRA.
Cyber Insurance Requirements
Most cyber insurance policies now require documentation of regular risk assessments as a condition of coverage. If you experience a breach and cannot demonstrate that you've conducted appropriate risk assessments, your claim may be denied. Insurance underwriters increasingly request SRA documentation during the application process, and failure to provide it can result in higher premiums or coverage denial.
Business Associate Agreements
If you're a business associate providing services to covered entities, your BAA likely includes provisions requiring you to conduct regular risk assessments. Covered entities are increasingly demanding proof of compliance from their vendors, and failure to provide SRA documentation can result in contract termination or inability to win new business in the healthcare sector.
What OCR Looks For in Your Risk Assessment
The Office for Civil Rights has provided clear guidance on what constitutes an adequate security risk assessment. Here's exactly what they expect to see:
Our free tool guides you through each of these requirements and generates documentation that addresses every OCR expectation.
The Real Consequences of Skipping Your SRA
Financial Penalties
HIPAA violations are categorized into four tiers based on the level of negligence, with penalties ranging from $100 to $50,000 per violation. The maximum annual penalty is $1.5 million per violation category. Failure to conduct a risk assessment is often cited as willful neglect, which carries the highest penalties.
Recent settlements have ranged from $100,000 for small practices to over $5 million for larger organizations — with the lack of a proper SRA being a common factor in nearly every case.
Corrective Action Plans
Beyond financial penalties, OCR typically requires organizations to implement corrective action plans (CAPs) that can last two to three years. These CAPs require you to submit regular compliance reports, undergo independent security assessments, and implement comprehensive compliance programs — all at your own expense.
The cost of implementing a CAP often exceeds the settlement amount itself, and the ongoing monitoring requirements create significant operational burdens.
Reputational Damage
HIPAA settlements are publicly announced by OCR and widely covered by healthcare media. Your practice's name will be associated with HIPAA violations in perpetuity, affecting patient trust, referral relationships, and your ability to attract new patients.
In today's digital age, a simple search of your practice name could surface news articles about your HIPAA violations for years to come.
Criminal Liability
In cases of willful neglect or deliberate misuse of PHI, individuals can face criminal prosecution. Criminal penalties include fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment up to 10 years, depending on the nature of the violation.
While criminal prosecution is rare, it's reserved for the most egregious cases — and demonstrating a complete lack of compliance effort (such as never conducting an SRA) can contribute to a finding of willful neglect.
How Our Free Risk Assessment Tool Works
Enter Your NPI
Simply enter your National Provider Identifier and our system automatically pulls your practice information, including specialty, location, and practice size. This allows us to tailor the assessment to your specific situation.
Answer Guided Questions
Our AI-powered questionnaire walks you through each area of HIPAA compliance with clear, jargon-free questions. We cover administrative, physical, and technical safeguards — everything OCR expects to see in your assessment.
Get Instant Analysis
Our system analyzes your responses against HIPAA requirements and industry benchmarks, calculating your compliance score and identifying specific vulnerabilities that need attention. No waiting for consultants to review.
Download Your Report
Receive a comprehensive PDF report that documents your entire assessment, including identified risks, risk levels, and specific remediation recommendations. This report is formatted to meet OCR documentation requirements.
What's Included in Your Free Assessment
Compliance Score (0-100)
An overall score that reflects your current HIPAA compliance posture, benchmarked against industry standards and OCR requirements.
Risk Identification Matrix
Detailed breakdown of identified risks across administrative, physical, and technical safeguards, with severity ratings for each.
Gap Analysis Report
Side-by-side comparison of HIPAA requirements versus your current practices, highlighting specific areas that need attention.
Remediation Roadmap
Prioritized list of recommended actions to address identified vulnerabilities, organized by risk level and implementation complexity.
Audit-Ready Documentation
Formatted documentation that meets OCR requirements for risk assessment records, ready to present during an audit.
Benchmark Comparison
See how your compliance posture compares to similar practices in your specialty and region.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I need to conduct a risk assessment?
HIPAA doesn't specify an exact frequency, but OCR guidance and industry best practices recommend conducting a risk assessment at least annually, and whenever there are significant changes to your practice, systems, or environment. Most practices conduct their SRA annually as part of their compliance maintenance routine.
Is this tool really free? What's the catch?
Yes, the risk assessment tool is completely free with no credit card required. We offer it as a way to help healthcare practices understand their compliance posture. If you find areas that need improvement, we offer paid solutions to help address them — but there's absolutely no obligation to purchase anything.
Will this assessment satisfy OCR audit requirements?
Our assessment is designed to meet all OCR requirements for a security risk assessment. The generated report includes all the elements OCR looks for, properly documented and formatted. However, conducting the assessment is just the first step — you also need to implement the remediation recommendations and maintain ongoing compliance.
How long does the assessment take?
Most practices complete the assessment in 15-20 minutes. The NPI lookup pre-fills much of your practice information, and our guided questions are designed to be clear and easy to answer. You can save your progress and return later if needed.
What happens to my assessment data?
Your assessment data is encrypted and stored securely in compliance with HIPAA requirements. We never share your data with third parties. You can request deletion of your data at any time. Review our privacy policy for complete details on how we handle your information.
Start Your Free Risk Assessment Now
Don't wait for an OCR audit to discover your compliance gaps. Complete your required Security Risk Assessment in minutes and get actionable insights today.
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