Access Control

164.312(a)(1) Technical Safeguards Critical Risk Complex

Implement technical policies and procedures for electronic information systems that maintain ePHI to allow access only to those persons or software programs that have been granted access rights.

Implementation Guidance

Implement unique user identification, emergency access procedures, automatic logoff, and encryption/decryption of ePHI.

NIST References

NIST SP 800-66 Rev. 2: Section 3.3.1

Best Practices

Implement unique user identification, use strong authentication methods, implement role-based access control, use encryption for ePHI at rest and in transit, implement automatic logoff.

Testing Procedures

Review access control policies, test user identification and authentication, verify emergency access procedures, test automatic logoff functionality, verify encryption implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between authentication and authorization? A: Authentication verifies who a user is, while authorization determines what a user can access.

Control Information

Control ID:
164.312(a)(1)

Category:
Technical Safeguards

Subcategory:
Access Control

Risk Level:
Critical

Implementation Difficulty:
Complex

Estimated Cost:
High

Implementation Timeframe:
3-6 months

Views:
6

Last Updated:
Oct 1, 2025

Related Controls

Additional Resources

NIST SP 800-66 Rev. 2: Access Control Guidance, HHS Access Control Guidance, Role-Based Access Control Implementation Guide