Schellman vs Coalfire for HIPAA & HITRUST
Two heavyweight audit firms, both deep in healthcare. How Schellman and Coalfire differ on independence, tech stack, and engagement style.
Schellman
Schellman is a top-50 CPA firm running an audit-only practice — no consulting conflicts — with HIPAA assessments, HITRUST validated assessments, SOC examinations, and ISO 27001 certification audits. Its independence-first model appeals to buyers who want the assessor kept strictly separate from any implementation help.
Coalfire
Coalfire is a large cybersecurity advisory firm with deep healthcare and life-sciences practices, offering HIPAA risk assessments, HITRUST readiness and validated assessments, and broader compliance testing. Its scale suits organizations running multi-framework programs that pair HIPAA with HITRUST or SOC 2.
How they compare
Both Schellman and Coalfire are large audit-led firms with real healthcare practices and strong HITRUST footprints — which is why they land on the same shortlists. The differences are in engagement style, not capability.
| Dimension | Schellman | Coalfire |
|---|---|---|
| Assess — the difference that matters | Schellman sells assessment independence: audit-led, assessment separated from consulting by design. | Coalfire blends assessment with cybersecurity consulting — deeper one-stop-shop capability, but ask how assessment independence is preserved. |
| Healthcare positioning | Healthcare is a core vertical; strong payer and provider footprint. | One of the largest healthcare assessment practices in the market; HITRUST and HITRUST-readiness work at scale. |
| Engagement style | Formal audit cadence — strong for compliance-driven organizations. | Consulting-led engagements that often bundle assessment with technical services. |
| Best-fit buyers | Organizations that want a clean auditor line, especially health systems and payers. | Organizations that want assessment plus remediation help from one firm. |
The bottom line
Want the cleanest audit posture and are separating assess from remediate? Schellman. Want assessment plus deep technical bench from a single partner? Coalfire. Both are top-tier; interview the named assessment team at both.
Frequently asked
Is Schellman or Coalfire better for HIPAA?
Neither is universally better — both are top-tier healthcare assessment firms. Schellman leans audit-led and independence-first; Coalfire blends assessment with cybersecurity consulting. Match to your buying priority.
Which is cheaper?
Both scope per engagement and publish no HIPAA fee bands. Get named-team, fixed-scope quotes from both — that's the only comparison that matters.
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