Strengthening Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations in U.S. Healthcare Cybersecurity

This study evaluates the state of data privacy and cybersecurity compliance within the U.S. healthcare sector, leveraging data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Breach Portal, Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, and the Health IT Dashboard. A quantitative methodology comprising descriptive statistical analysis, K-means clustering, and multivariate regression was employed to examine healthcare data breaches, categorize cybersecurity threats, and identify compliance challenges. Findings revealed a persistent increase in breaches, with hacking/IT incidents comprising over 80% of breaches in 2020 and a peak of 135 incidents in 2021. Budget allocation emerged as the most significant predictor of compliance (p = 0.0178), affirming resource constraints. Malware and ransomware were identified as dominant threats, while insider threats emerged as high-impact vulnerabilities. The study recommends increasing cybersecurity budgets, implementing continuous staff training, harmonizing regulations, and adopting Cybersecurity Maturity Models to systematically enhance security postures. The study provides critical insights into the challenges faced by healthcare organizations in achieving compliance with evolving data privacy regulations such as HIPAA and HITECH. The findings highlight the economic and operational implications of non-compliance, including financial penalties, reputational harm, and patient trust erosion. The study further affirms the importance of strategic investments in advanced cybersecurity tools, policy harmonization, and employee education. Hence, policymakers and healthcare administrators can utilize these insights to foster a robust culture of compliance, ensuring the protection of sensitive patient information and the resilience of healthcare operations against cyber threats. The study suggests that future research explores integrating artificial intelligence, zero-trust architectures, and adaptive risk management frameworks to further enhance cybersecurity strategies and regulatory compliance.