One of the challenges that hamper digital transformation in healthcare is the need to secure and protect patients’ data. Healthcare data is highly personal and is also tied with sensitive legal, financial, and demographic information, such as birth dates and social security numbers. Needless to say, it is also a frequent target of cyberattacks, fraud, and identity theft.
In many countries, the laws and regulations obligate healthcare institutions and private practitioners to safeguard patients’ data. Healthcare providers in the United States have to comply with HIPAA standards. Similarly, in the EU, the GDPR law calls for securing and protecting patients’ data.
Phishing campaigns, hacker and ransomware attacks, employee negligence as well as physical loss and damage are behind some of the biggest healthcare data breaches in 2020. On average, data breaches cost the healthcare industry $6.2 billion each year in the US alone. Obviously, healthcare providers still have a lot to learn when it comes to data security, handling health records, and educating employees on how to protect their passwords and e-mail accounts from hackers.
In this article, we will talk about data security practices that healthcare companies can adopt to ensure adequate patient data protection.
Educate clinical personnel
Mishandling is still one of the top causes of healthcare data damage, and hackers are still successfully using social engineering to persuade personnel to share passwords and other confidential information. Unfortunately, most of the time, medical and administrative staff are unaware of the threats and consequences. Educating your staff about the basics of data handling and protection is one of the most impactful security measures.
Impose data access policies
A lot of data breaches happen because every member of the clinic’s staff has access to data. Ensure that only persons authorized to work with sensitive data may have access to patients’ records. Imposing data access restrictions, implementing two-factor authentications to validate that users are authorized to work with data are viable means of cybersecurity protection.
The use of passwords or PIN numbers as well as security keys and cards is a common practice. Today, organizations and clinics increasingly use biometrics for authentication purposes.
Implement data usage monitoring and controls
Implement data usage controls to block certain activities and manipulations involving data. Such controls may prevent patients’ data from being e-mailed, printed, or copied to external devices. This can be achieved through data classification and discovery: identifying and tagging sensitive data to ensure its protection. Likewise, monitoring data usage will help you track who and when has been using sensitive data, and help identify the source of trouble if the breach occurs.
Use data encryption methods
Data encryption is some of the most effective methods of healthcare data protection since it makes data impossible to decipher by cybercriminals, even if they manage to gain access. HIPAA recommends using data encryption methods, yet, leaves it up to healthcare providers to determine which methods will be the most appropriate in their particular case.
Yet, free encryption software doesn’t apply in healthcare, since the solution should comply with HIPAA standards. For example, VARTEQ Data Dazzler is an automated HIPAA compliant solution that uses sophisticated solutions like data masking, data swapping, synthetic data, and pseudonymization to encrypt and protect sensitive healthcare data.
Use protected mobile devices
The use of mobile devices contributes to maximizing the efficiency of healthcare, yet, it also entails a number of security risks, previously unfamiliar in the clinical settings. A lost or stolen device, for example, may grant cybercriminals access to patients’ healthcare data, credit card, and other information. Hence, the number of security measure that you must impose should include:
- Ability to lock stolen devices in a remote mode
- Using data encryption and strong passwords
- Encrypting application data
- Monitoring e-mail attachments and accounts
- Installing mobile security software
- Using only secure pre-vetted applications
- Regular device updates to use the latest versions of operating systems
Protect IoT devices from security risks
Apart from smartphones and tablets, modern clinics increasingly use IoT devices for monitoring, treatment, and diagnostic purposes. Such devices are connected to the Internet and can be used by perpetrators to gain access to other clinic’s systems. Here’s what you can do to secure adequate IoT security protection:
– Turn off all the connected devices while they are not in use
– Use the separate network for IoT devices
– Regularly diagnose the IoT device network for any changes
– Use multi-factor authentication for protected access
– Keep all the security devices updated to ensure the implementation of security patches.
Conduct regular data backups
Backup your patients’ records to a secure location. Should any serious system failure or natural disaster occur, the backups stored offsite will help to restore the lost data. Surely, data backups should be handled using the best security practices including data encryption and security policies that limit access to data.
Partner with third-party companies that stick to security requirements
Nowadays, most healthcare organizations have working partnerships with a number of third-party companies and providers. Needless to say, many aspects of these collaborations involve sharing data. While your company may have top-notch security standards, according to HIPAA, you are also held responsible for any negligence or breach on the part of your business associates. For example, the third-party apps and Google services fall into the category of ‘business associates’ if you use them to document and store patients’ health information (for more info, read the HIPAA Survival Guide).
Final Thoughts
The proactive approach to data security involves conducting regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities in your security systems, gaps in employee security education, and the shortcomings in the security practices of your business partners and vendors. Rather than waiting for a possible attack, commit to continuous strengthening and upgrade of your security systems. For ensuring patients trust and maintaining an impeccable business reputation, consider implementing ISO 27799:2016 security practices.
Read also: How to Build A Data-Driven Health Organization
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