In the event of an audit, which of the following is part of CMS's evaluation of security standards compliance?

The correct answer is the evaluation of administrative safeguards, which are critical components in ensuring compliance with security standards, particularly as outlined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Administrative safeguards refer to the policies and procedures designed to manage the selection, development, implementation, and maintenance of security measures to protect electronic protected health information (ePHI). These safeguards are crucial in mitigating risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI.

During an audit, CMS will assess how well a healthcare organization has established administrative policies regarding personnel security, information access management, workforce training, and incident response. This evaluation ensures that there are appropriate administrative practices in place to safeguard ePHI from unauthorized access or breaches.

While physician safeguards and clinical safeguards may contribute to overall security, they primarily focus on the actions and responsibilities of healthcare providers and clinical operations rather than the organizational policies. Oversight safeguards is a term that is less standardized and may not accurately reflect the specific components required for compliance under CMS regulations. Thus, the focus on administrative safeguards in the context of an audit aligns with the regulatory framework aimed at maintaining the security and integrity of healthcare data.