The 2018 HITRUST Third Party Assurance Summit was held in Chicago where customers, partners, and vendors joined in the conversation, sharing their own perspectives and challenges around implementing an effective third-party assurance program.

Third-party assurance is a crucial component of any organization’s risk management program. Developing and implementing an effective program, given the increased regulatory oversight, reliance, and complexity of outsourced relationships and evolving threat landscape, is a challenging task – and one that requires alignment and supports internally and with business partners.

By engaging, partnering and coordinating with third parties in the risk management process, versus imposing redundant and inconsistent assessment and reporting requirements, greater efficiencies and improved partner relations can be gained, and appropriate risk management can be ensured.

To facilitate this engagement and partnership, HITRUST regularly convenes the HITRUST Third Party Assurance Summit. This event brings together leaders and experts representing customers, vendors and consultancies in various aspects of risk management to share best practices, lessons learned, and effective third-party risk management strategies leveraging the HITRUST CSF Assurance Program and HITRUST Assessment Exchange.

During these HITRUST Third Party Assurance Summits, a combination of facilitated discussions, educational sessions, and networking opportunities, including general sessions and tracks specific to customer or vendor areas of interest, take place. It is a unique forum for customers, business partners, and vendors to truly collaborate in evolving approaches, ensuring effective communications of appropriate, timely, and consumable risk management information.