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Healthcare Data Security & Risk Management

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Healthcare Data Security & Risk Management

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Advanced level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Advanced level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Analyze healthcare data security requirements and evaluate compliance strategies.

  • Evaluate healthcare cybersecurity threats and design effective security controls and data security solutions.

  • Apply risk assessment methodologies to healthcare IT environments and develop comprehensive healthcare data security and risk management plans.

  • Create and evaluate incident response and breach management strategies that strengthen data security and privacy in healthcare organizations.

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Recently updated!

January 2026

Assessments

4 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer
Taught in English

There are 6 modules in this course

In today's digital healthcare ecosystem, patient data represents both an invaluable asset for advancing care and a prime target for malicious actors. Electronic health records (EHRs), connected medical devices, telemedicine platforms, artificial intelligence tools, and third-party vendor relationships all contribute to an increasingly complex risk environment underscoring why data security is important in healthcare. This Healthcare Data Security & Risk Management course introduces and equips healthcare IT professionals, compliance officers, risk managers, and healthcare administrators with the knowledge and skills to analyze, evaluate, and strengthen their organization's data protection and risk management strategies.

Over the span of four hours, learners will explore the regulatory, technical, and operational dimensions of safeguarding protected health information (PHI) and electronic PHI (ePHI). The course is designed at an advanced level, demanding higher-order thinking, thus learners will analyze, evaluate, and create strategies to manage health data in real-world, high-risk scenarios, addressing the healthcare data security challenges organizations face today. The course begins with a strong foundation in healthcare data security fundamentals, including HIPAA Security Rule requirements, data classification, lifecycle management, and the principle of minimum necessary use. This grounding ensures all learners can critically evaluate compliance obligations and data governance structures, and understand what data security in healthcare involves in practice. This course is designed for healthcare IT professionals, compliance officers, cybersecurity analysts, risk managers, healthcare administrators, and professionals transitioning into healthcare security roles. If you're responsible for protecting patient data or managing regulatory risk, this course equips you with the frameworks and tools you need to apply effective healthcare data security solutions. Learners should have basic knowledge of healthcare IT systems and a general understanding of regulatory compliance. Familiarity with cybersecurity concepts is helpful but not required; the course provides the context needed to apply data security principles effectively in real environments. By the end of the course, learners will not only understand compliance requirements and risks, but also synthesize knowledge into practical policies, risk management frameworks, and incident response strategies tailored to their organizations. The course's blend of conceptual videos, demonstrations, assigned readings, discussions, and hands-on lab activities ensures an engaging and applied learning experience.

In this course, you’ll learn how to protect sensitive patient data across modern healthcare systems using clear, practical methods. You’ll break down regulatory requirements, analyze real attack scenarios, and apply hands-on techniques to secure EHRs, medical devices, telemedicine platforms, and cloud-based environments. Through step-by-step labs and case studies, you’ll assess threats, build risk-management plans, and practice incident response approaches grounded in HIPAA and industry frameworks. By the end, you’ll be able to strengthen your organization’s security posture, manage healthcare risks with confidence, and respond effectively to breaches in today’s high-risk healthcare landscape.

What's included

1 video1 reading

1 videoTotal 3 minutes
  • Intro Video to Course 3 minutes
1 readingTotal 5 minutes
  • Welcome to the Course: Course Overview5 minutes

In this module, you’ll learn how healthcare data is classified, governed, and protected under strict regulations like HIPAA. We’ll explore why PHI and ePHI are prime targets, how the Security and Privacy Rules shape daily operations, and what “minimum necessary” looks like in real workflows. You’ll also walk through data lifecycle management, social engineering risks, and practical ways to build stronger organizational vigilance. By the end, you’ll understand the core compliance and governance principles that anchor every effective healthcare security strategy.

What's included

10 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 69 minutes
  • Module Introduction 2 minutes
  • The Value of PHI/ePHI on the Black Market 7 minutes
  • Common Attack Vectors in Healthcare 9 minutes
  • Real-World Data Breach Case Analysis 9 minutes
  • HIPAA Security Rule and Privacy Rule Primer 7 minutes
  • Minimum Necessary Standard & Data Lifecycle Management 6 minutes
  • Mapping Data Flows for Compliance 7 minutes
  • Phishing, Smishing, and Pretexting in Healthcare 7 minutes
  • Phishing Simulation Demo 7 minutes
  • Building a Culture of Vigilance 7 minutes
2 readingsTotal 10 minutes
  • HIPAA Security Rule Summary (HHS) 5 minutes
  • NIST SP 800-66 HIPAA Implementation Guide 5 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes
  • Foundations of Healthcare Data Protection20 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 20 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Data Classification Activity 20 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Evaluating Phishing Awareness Programs 10 minutes

In this module, you’ll examine the evolving threats that put healthcare organizations at constant risk. We’ll dig into ransomware, insider threats, IoMT vulnerabilities, and the emerging dangers tied to AI-driven systems—showing how attackers exploit clinical and operational environments. You’ll also explore essential security controls like MFA, least privilege, segmentation, and Zero Trust, all applied in healthcare-specific scenarios. By the end, you’ll be able to evaluate threats clearly and design practical defenses that balance cybersecurity with patient safety.

What's included

10 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 62 minutes
  • Module Introduction 2 minutes
  • The Evolution of Ransomware in Healthcare 5 minutes
  • Insider Threats and Malicious Insiders 7 minutes
  • Analyzing Ransomware Indicators of Compromise 6 minutes
  • IoMT Device Vulnerabilities & FDA Guidance 7 minutes
  • AI & Emerging Threats to Healthcare Systems 7 minutes
  • Simulating a Medical Device Attack Scenario 7 minutes
  • Multi-Factor Authentication & Least Privilege 7 minutes
  • Network Segmentation & Zero Trust in Healthcare 7 minutes
  • Combatting MFA Fatigue: Why Healthcare Workers are Prime Targets 7 minutes
2 readingsTotal 10 minutes
  • HIMSS Cybersecurity Survey Report 5 minutes
  • FDA Medical Device Cybersecurity Guidance 5 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes
  • Healthcare Cybersecurity Threat Landscape20 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 20 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Threat Detection Activity20 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Balancing Patient Safety and Cybersecurity10 minutes

In this module, you’ll learn how to assess and manage cyber risks using frameworks such as NIST CSF, HITRUST, and ISO 27001. We’ll walk through how to build risk matrices, evaluate vulnerabilities, and analyze vendor and third-party exposures that can compromise healthcare systems. You’ll also explore methods for continuous monitoring, from KPIs and KRIs to dashboards that support executive decision-making. By the end, you’ll be able to develop structured, defensible risk management plans tailored to healthcare environments.

What's included

10 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 79 minutes
  • Module Introduction 2 minutes
  • Comparing NIST CSF, HITRUST, and ISO 27001 8 minutes
  • Applying Frameworks in Healthcare Environments 8 minutes
  • Building a Simple Risk Assessment Matrix 9 minutes
  • Supply Chain Attacks in Healthcare 7 minutes
  • Best Practices for Vendor Risk Assessment 8 minutes
  • Using a Vendor Risk Questionnaire Tool 11 minutes
  • The Role of KPIs & KRIs in Healthcare Cyber Risk 6 minutes
  • Cyber Risk Dashboards for Executives 7 minutes
  • Configuring a Basic Risk Monitoring Dashboard 13 minutes
2 readingsTotal 10 minutes
  • NIST Cybersecurity Framework 5 minutes
  • HITRUST Assessment Handbook 5 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes
  • Risk Assessment & Risk Management in Healthcare20 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 20 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Risk Register & Risk Assessment Matrix20 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes
  • Continuous vs. Periodic Risk Assessments 5 minutes

In this module, you’ll learn how healthcare organizations prepare for, detect, and respond to cyber incidents and data breaches. We’ll break down the components of an IR plan, explore digital forensics techniques, and walk through recovery strategies that minimize downtime without compromising patient care. You’ll also examine HIPAA breach notification rules, legal considerations, and real-world case studies that show how breaches unfold. By the end, you’ll be able to design and evaluate incident response and breach management plans that meet regulatory expectations and protect patient trust.

What's included

10 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 64 minutes
  • Module Introduction 2 minutes
  • Core Components of Incident Response in Healthcare 6 minutes
  • Roles & Responsibilities in IR Teams 7 minutes
  • Drafting an IR Plan in a Sample Template 10 minutes
  • Best Practices in Digital Forensics for Healthcare 5 minutes
  • Recovery and Business Continuity after an Attack 6 minutes
  • Simulated Ransomware Recovery Walkthrough 7 minutes
  • HIPAA Breach Notification Requirements 7 minutes
  • Legal & Ethical Considerations in Breach Reporting 7 minutes
  • Case Study of a Major Healthcare Breach 7 minutes
2 readingsTotal 10 minutes
  • HHS Breach Notification Rule 5 minutes
  • New 2025 HIPAA Regulations: Key Changes & How To Stay Ahead5 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes
  • Incident Response & Breach Management20 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 20 minutes
  • Hands-On-Learning: Incident Response Tabletop Exercise20 minutes
1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes
  • Learning from High-Profile Breaches 10 minutes

In this wrap-up module, you’ll put all your learning into action through a hands-on healthcare security simulation. You’ll assess risks, review a vendor profile, draft an incident response plan, and determine HIPAA breach notification steps. By completing practical artifacts like a risk register and IR outline, you’ll finish the course with real-world skills you can apply immediately in healthcare cybersecurity.

What's included

1 video1 peer review

1 videoTotal 4 minutes
  • Course Wrap-Up4 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Project: Healthcare Cyber Incident Response Simulation60 minutes

Instructors

Starweaver
1 Course278 learners
Starweaver
568 Courses1,144,754 learners

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Frequently asked questions

The main healthcare data security challenges stem from EHRs, connected medical devices, telemedicine platforms, AI tools, and third-party vendors with each widening the attack surface. Common issues include data breaches, ransomware, insider misuse, and weak access controls, all of which threaten protected health information (PHI).

The importance of data security in healthcare lies in protecting patient privacy, ensuring HIPAA compliance, and maintaining trust in care. The healthcare data is highly sensitive and heavily targeted hence strong data security in healthcare is essential to prevent breaches, penalties, and patient harm.

This Healthcare Data Security Course teaches you to analyze data protection requirements, evaluate compliance strategies, assess cybersecurity threats, and build healthcare data security and risk management plans. Post which you may create policies, risk frameworks, and incident response strategies tailored to your organization.

It's designed for healthcare IT professionals, compliance officers, cybersecurity analysts, risk managers, healthcare administrators, and anyone responsible for securing healthcare data or managing regulatory risk, including those moving into healthcare security and healthcare management roles.

No. You'll need basic knowledge of healthcare IT systems and regulatory compliance, but cybersecurity familiarity is helpful, not required. The course gives you the context to apply data security in healthcare effectively, making it a strong healthcare data security course online for newcomers to the field.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Financial aid available,

¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.