Imagine starting your day like any other.
Coffee in hand. A calm inbox.
Then you see the message.
Your organization has been selected for a HIPAA audit.
Suddenly, the room feels a little quieter.
This scenario is becoming far more common. What began as a noticeable surge in HIPAA audits in 2025 has evolved in 2026 into something more intense: more frequent audits, deeper reviews, and higher expectations around how protected health information (PHI) moves through your organization.
Welcome to the new era of HIPAA audits. And for many teams, it’s arriving faster than expected.
HIPAA Audits in 2026: More Scrutiny at Every Step
Today’s auditors are looking beyond policies and paperwork. They want to understand how information actually flows.
That means examining:
- How PHI is received
- Where it’s printed or scanned
- How it’s shared internally
- How long it’s stored
- And how it’s ultimately destroyed
What used to be considered “small gaps” are now viewed as meaningful risks. And this increased scrutiny is affecting more than just healthcare providers. Automotive organizations with in-house clinics, manufacturers, and any business handling employee or patient health data are all feeling the shift.
This isn’t about catching organizations off guard. It’s about strengthening protections as the volume of sensitive information continues to grow.
The Hidden HIPAA Risk Sitting in Your Hallway
Here’s something that surprises many teams:
One of the biggest PHI risks in an organization is often the printer.
Think about it:
- Patient forms left on output trays
- Scans saved to internal device drives
- Unclaimed print jobs sitting in plain sight
- Devices storing data long after anyone remembers it’s there
Printer fleets quietly handle, and retain, far more PHI than most people realize. That’s why HIPAA audits in 2026 are paying closer attention to everyday print and scan activity.
Secure print release, access controls, and modern print management tools are no longer “nice to have.” They’re becoming essential parts of HIPAA audit readiness.
Why PHI Disposal Still Fails Audits
Some risks haven’t changed, but expectations around them have.
Paper remains one of the most common sources of audit findings:
- Old forms stored in boxes
- Outdated files tucked into closets
- Documents no one remembers, but everyone hopes an auditor won’t notice
Improper PHI disposal continues to cause issues during audits. What’s different in 2026 is how specific auditors are about proof.
Secure shredding provides:
- Scheduled, consistent routines
- Documented chains of custody
- Certificates of destruction
In other words, no more forgotten boxes. No more guessing. Just clear, defensible proof.
HIPAA Compliance Doesn’t Always Mean Real Security
Here’s a tough truth:
You can be HIPAA compliant and still be exposed.
You can:
- Have policies in place while printers retain PHI
- Meet requirements while digital scans go missing
- Pass training while paper files pile up
Compliance checks a box. Security protects your day-to-day reality.
True security lives in the processes your team uses every single day, not just in written policies.
Workflow Modernization Reduces HIPAA Audit Risk
This is where modern imaging and workflow automation make a real difference.
Imaging services bring order to chaos by turning paper into clean, searchable digital records. No more guessing where documents live. No more digging through files during an audit.
Workflow automation then guides information safely through your organization:
- Files route to the right people automatically
- Every action leaves a clear audit trail
- Human error is reduced at every step
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) handles repetitive digital tasks, while document content management keeps information organized, secure, and easy to retrieve.
The result? A workflow that’s easier to protect, and easier to prove during a HIPAA audit.
The Technology Foundation Behind HIPAA Readiness
Even the best workflows need a secure technical foundation.
During audits, many organizations uncover issues they didn’t know existed:
- Unpatched devices
- Weak or shared passwords
- Missing backups
- Limited visibility into unusual activity
These small gaps can quickly become major HIPAA concerns.
Managed IT and cybersecurity services help close them by:
- Monitoring systems continuously
- Using MFA and access controls to limit PHI exposure
- Encrypting backups to protect critical data
- Applying routine updates before vulnerabilities become problems
These aren’t extras. They’re the technical safeguards HIPAA expects.
When your technology is actively secured, compliance becomes far easier to defend.
A New Era of HIPAA Requires a New Approach
HIPAA audits aren’t going back to the way they were. Expectations in 2026 are higher because the risks are higher.
The good news? The tools to stay ahead already exist:
- Imaging services
- Secure shredding
- Printer fleet controls
- Workflow automation
- Strong data security
- Managed IT and cybersecurity
Together, they create a cleaner, safer, more confident information environment.
When your processes are modernized, audits stop feeling scary.
They become routine.
And that’s when your morning coffee tastes great again.
If you’re unsure where your biggest HIPAA risks may be hiding, a fresh look at your workflows can make all the difference. Let’s talk about what HIPAA readiness could look like for your organization.