The auditors are coming. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently awarded KPMG, one of the Big Four auditing services, a $9.2 million contract to conduct 150 HIPAA compliance audits in 2012.

These audits are required by law under the amendments made through the HITECH Act in 2009. This contract is meant to create a pilot program to evaluate the methods that HHS and contractors will use for their ongoing audit programs. What does this program mean for organizations that must comply with HIPAA? What happens during the audit, and what can you do to prepare?

Read more: HIPAA compliance: How to prepare for upcoming KPMG HIPAA audits

Originally published on SearchSecurity.com, May 2012