Advizex Guides Leading Pediatric Hospital
Toward Zero Trust Maturity
The Team
Patrick DeZeller, Shinya Sakuta, Larry Frank
The Problem
One of the largest pediatric medical centers in the country, based in Columbus, Ohio, engaged Advizex in late 2023 to prepare for significant 2025 updates to the HIPAA Security Rule, which will impose stricter requirements on electronic protected health information (ePHI) protections.
The organization needed a security solution capable of segmenting and securing their electronic medical records (EMR) platform, EPIC, while also offering adaptability to evolving compliance needs.
The Solution
Advizex led a comprehensive evaluation of three enterprise-grade microsegmentation solutions:
• Illumio
• Akamai Guardicore
• ColorTokens
A comparative analysis was conducted, examining technical fit, deployment ease, performance, cost, and long-term maintainability. Vendor briefings and proof-of-concept (PoC) implementations were completed for each solution.
Illumio emerged as the strongest fit, offering the control and visibility the healthcare organization needed. Advizex then proposed a phased deployment strategy—starting with critical assets and expanding in waves—ensuring both momentum and flexibility.
The Implementation
Illumio’s professional services team executed the deployment, with Advizex providing guidance throughout. The primary challenge was demonstrating that microsegmentation could scale in a healthcare setting without disrupting clinical workflows.
The PoC confirmed Illumio’s capability to do just that, even with the EPIC system in use.
The Technology Stack
• Illumio Core for Zero Trust Segmentation
• EPIC electronic medical records platform
• Advizex advisory and support services
This configuration provides:
• Fine-grained control over sensitive data traffic
• Real-time visibility into workload behavior
• A clear path to HIPAA compliance
The Impact
The healthcare organization is now in a significantly stronger security posture. Its EMR system is shielded, lateral movement threats are reduced, and internal visibility has been enhanced.
The organization is well-positioned to meet the 2025 HIPAA standards and is already planning to expand Illumio coverage across more critical systems.
The Conclusion
This initiative demonstrates how a leading healthcare institution, with the right partners, can proactively respond to regulatory pressure.
Advizex delivered clarity and strategic guidance, transforming a compliance need into a broader security evolution.