Key Takeaways
- HIPAA is undergoing its first major revision in years, with changes likely to impact MFA, mobile access, and documentation requirements.
- Home health agencies are especially vulnerable due to mobile workforces and decentralized data workflows.
- Now is the time to audit your systems, implement MFA, lock down mobile access, and document your compliance.
- Agencies that adapt early can avoid penalties and turn compliance into a competitive advantage.
Most home care agencies understand the importance of HIPAA. But in 2025, "understanding" isn't enough. With proposed HIPAA updates on the table for the first time in over a decade, many of the old assumptions about data protection no longer apply.
These upcoming changes could directly affect how your agency manages patient records, mobile access, and endpoint security. If you're still relying on the same policies and tools you used five years ago, you could be out of compliance before you even realize the rules have changed.
In this post, we'll break down what we know about the proposed HIPAA updates and how your IT strategy should evolve now—before enforcement begins.
What's Changing in HIPAA?
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has indicated that it intends to modernize HIPAA to reflect today's healthcare delivery models and technologies. While the final rule has not been released, here are key updates likely to affect home health providers:
- MFA May Become a Standard: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) isn't explicitly required under current HIPAA rules—but proposed updates may change that. As cyberattacks targeting healthcare organizations rise, HHS may soon mandate stronger identity verification.
- Increased Mobile Access Oversight: With care increasingly delivered outside the office, there's more scrutiny on mobile device security. Expect tighter guidelines around data access, remote login policies, and app controls.
- Streamlined Documentation Requirements: HHS is exploring ways to reduce provider burden while improving clarity. This means documentation formats might change, especially for risk assessments and audit trails.
- Greater Emphasis on Patient Access Rights: Agencies may face stricter requirements to ensure patients can access their own health data electronically and without unnecessary delays.
These changes reflect the reality that most care today happens outside a hospital or clinic. HIPAA is evolving to match that shift—and so should your IT systems.
Why It Matters for Home Health Providers
Home health care agencies face compliance challenges unlike any other care setting. They rely on mobile teams that frequently operate outside traditional network environments. Devices are often shared, cloud-based documentation is standard, and sensitive health information flows between homes, apps, and remote servers.
This environment requires a more deliberate, modern approach to HIPAA compliance. Agencies need visibility into every access point, assurance that multi-factor authentication is not just enabled but enforced, and real-time documentation of who accessed what, when, and how.
If these gaps aren't closed, the agency risks data breaches, failed audits, and even reputational damage. Compliance today isn't just about what happens at headquarters—it's about how technology supports staff in the field.
In an era of increased compliance scrutiny and ransomware targeting the healthcare sector, home health providers can't afford to treat IT as an afterthought.
What You Should Be Doing Now
You don't need to wait for the final HIPAA rule to modernize your IT compliance. Here are proactive steps home health agencies should take today:
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Everywhere
Start with systems that house or access PHI: electronic health records, scheduling apps, email platforms, and remote desktop connections. MFA adds a critical layer of protection that thwarts most credential-based attacks.
Lock Down Mobile Access
Mobile security must be more than a policy—it has to be a practice. Start by identifying every mobile device in use, from tablets to smartphones, whether owned by the organization or the employee. Apply encryption and configure all devices to require strong logins and timed auto-locks.
If a device is lost or stolen, your agency must be able to disable access immediately. That means deploying a mobile device management (MDM) platform that gives your IT team central control. Without it, every phone becomes a potential point of exposure for patient data.
Document Everything
Ensure your HIPAA compliance documentation reflects how your agency actually works in 2025. This includes:
- Risk assessments for mobile and cloud workflows
- Records of employee security training
- Logs of software updates and policy enforcement actions
Educate Your Team
Technology alone won't protect you. Every staff member should understand their role in safeguarding PHI, especially as workflows shift toward remote tools and virtual care platforms.
Preparing for the Future of HIPAA
Compliance isn't just about checking boxes—it's about building trust with patients, payers, and regulators. And as the healthcare landscape evolves, your IT environment must evolve with it.
While some home health providers may try to "wait and see," the better strategy is to act now. Agencies that modernize ahead of regulation gain a competitive advantage: fewer disruptions, faster audits, and stronger reputations.
At CNS Data, we help healthcare organizations design and implement IT strategies that stay compliant today and adaptable tomorrow. Our approach includes:
- HIPAA-aligned risk assessments
- Secure mobile workforce configurations
- Continuous compliance monitoring
Because compliance isn't just a legal requirement—it's part of how you deliver care.
Click Here or give us a call at 929-523-2921 to Book a FREE Call With Our CEO
If you're unsure whether your agency is ready for the new HIPAA landscape, we can help. Book a call with our CEO to discuss how CNS Data can support your home health IT compliance strategy.
