As of October 14, 2025, Microsoft Windows 10 has officially reached its End of Life (EOL). If you're reading this while still running Windows 10, you're already at risk of noncompliance with HIPAA security requirements, and both Microsoft and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) know it.
Picture this: Your 150-bed critical access hospital just received a HIPAA audit notice. Your IT manager turns pale. Why? Because you've been running on Microsoft 365 Business Premium, thinking you were saving money. What you're about to discover could be the difference between a clean audit and a compliance nightmare that costs your facility millions.
You've been placed in charge of disaster recovery planning at your rural health care facility. Maybe someone told you to "create our DRP." Maybe it landed on your desk because you're the IT person. Or maybe you drew the short straw at the last staff meeting.
Sounds easy, right?
Here's what nobody told you: You've just been handed a can of worms that touches every IT system, every compliance requirement, and every department in your organization.
A Self-Help Resource for Rural Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing Homes, and Other Small Health Care Organizations
Microsoft's August 2025 Patch Tuesday update (KB5063878) presents healthcare organizations with a challenging risk assessment scenario. While the update addresses 107 critical security vulnerabilities—including an actively exploited zero-day—reports have emerged of storage drive failures under specific conditions.
This article contains tough love — but it comes from a place of deep respect and genuine concern. We know you're not in rural health care for the money — you could make more elsewhere. You're here because you care about your community. We share that mission, which is why we believe in giving you straight talk about risks and challenges.
How a Single Unchecked App Could Cost Your Health Care Organization Everything
You protect patient data every day. But do you know exactly what a HIPAA violation could cost your organization?
Understanding What’s at Stake for Your Small Health Care Organization
When you're running a small hospital, clinic, or long-term care facility, staying on top of regulations like HIPAA can feel overwhelming. But one piece you absolutely have to understand is Protected Health Information (PHI)—what it is, how it’s used, and why securing it is non-negotiable.
For those unfamiliar with what a Critical Access Hospital is or how it operates, this article breaks down what you need to know. We'll walk through the origins and function of CAHs, explain the impact of new federal legislation, and show how all of this is reshaping rural health care as we know it.
Whether you're part of a rural hospital, a local official, or someone simply concerned about access to care in rural communities, this piece will help you understand the stakes — and the urgent need for action.