Administrative Safeguards
Policies and procedures designed to manage the selection, development, implementation, and maintenance of security measures protecting ePHI.
1 min read · Last reviewed May 23, 2026
At a glance
- Category
- Security
- Primary sources
- 3
- Workspace handoff
- compliance binder →
Where this comes up
This sits inside the security risk analysis under 45 CFR 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A) — workstation controls, EHR access roles, ePHI transmission encryption, audit logging, vendor risk, and incident response. Reviewers expect dated evidence of the control, not a policy PDF that says it exists.
Full definition
What it is in practice
45 CFR 164.308 lists nine administrative safeguard standards: Security Management Process, Assigned Security Responsibility, Workforce Security, Information Access Management, Security Awareness and Training, Security Incident Procedures, Contingency Plan, Evaluation, and BAA contracts.
How it shows up in your practice
Administrative safeguards are the most often-cited area in OCR settlements. They are also the cheapest to remediate: most are documentation and process, not technology.
Sources
- 45 CFR 164.308 — Administrative safeguardshttps://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-164.308
- HHS — HIPAA Security Rulehttps://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/index.html
- NIST SP 800-66 Rev. 2 — HIPAA Security Rule Implementation Guidehttps://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/66/r2/final
Adopt administrative safeguard policies in the Compliance Binder
Open compliance binder →Related terms
- SecurityPhysical SafeguardsPhysical measures, policies, and procedures to protect a covered entity's electronic information systems and related buildings and equipment from natural and environmental hazards and unauthorized intrusion.
- SecurityTechnical SafeguardsTechnology and the policy and procedures for its use that protect ePHI and control access to it.
- SecuritySecurity Risk AnalysisThe accurate and thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI required by the HIPAA Security Rule.
- HIPAA & PrivacyHIPAA Security RuleThe federal regulation at 45 CFR Part 164 Subpart C that requires safeguards for ePHI.
- SecurityWorkforce TrainingHIPAA-required training of workforce members on the covered entity's privacy and security policies.
D3rx is a healthcare-billing and compliance research aid maintained by D3rx Inc. Articles are drafted by an LLM (Anthropic Claude) against primary HHS, OCR, CMS, eCFR, NIST, and state-regulator publications, and reviewed for restraint and source fidelity by the D3rx team.
Reviewer status: a named credentialed reviewer (CHC, CHPC, or healthcare attorney) is being engaged. Until that engagement is finalized, this page does not claim credentialed review.
Related across the archive
- GlossaryPhysical SafeguardsPhysical measures, policies, and procedures to protect a covered entity's electronic information systems and related buildings and equipment from natural and environmental hazards and unauthorized intrusion.
- GlossaryTechnical SafeguardsTechnology and the policy and procedures for its use that protect ePHI and control access to it.
- GlossarySecurity Risk AnalysisThe accurate and thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI required by the HIPAA Security Rule.
- GlossaryWorkforce TrainingHIPAA-required training of workforce members on the covered entity's privacy and security policies.
- GlossaryHIPAA Security RuleThe federal regulation at 45 CFR Part 164 Subpart C that requires safeguards for ePHI.
- ComplianceAnnual HIPAA Training Curriculum (What to Cover + How to Document)A 2026 annual HIPAA training curriculum for small healthcare practices — eight required modules under 45 CFR 164.530(b) and 45 CFR 164.308(a)(5), with documentation templates.
- RegulationNIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0The 2024 update to the NIST CSF added the Govern function alongside Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover — providing a common language for organizational cybersecurity risk management.
- SRAHIPAA Contingency Plan for a Small PracticeWhat the Security Rule contingency plan standard at 45 CFR 164.308(a)(7) actually requires, including data backup, disaster recovery, emergency mode operation, and testing — for a small practice.
This glossary entry is a research aid for billing and compliance staff. It does not provide legal, medical, or financial advice and does not replace counsel. References cited link to primary sources at HHS, OCR, CMS, eCFR, NIST, and the relevant payer or industry body.