5 Must-follow Tips For Securing Healthcare Data

You'd be shocked to know that around 739 healthcare data breaches were reported last year. What's more interesting is that around 80% of these incidents were due to hacking or IT incidents.

Healthcare data is a gold mine of sensitive information ranging from personal information, medical history, insurance information, and much more. This is why health data is a hotspot for cyberattacks. Cyber pirates are always on the lookout for opportunities to breach. The consequences of the confidential health data breach are severe. So, maintaining and safeguarding patient's data is more crucial than ever.?

Let's get into the why and how of healthcare data security. We'll also talk about how you can protect it from the clutches of hackers.

Why protect healthcare data?

Imagine sailing the ship smoothly, and suddenly, the deck is flooded due to a leak. That's exactly what it feels like when a data breach happens. The smooth functioning of the healthcare facility gets disrupted, creating chaos.?

Here are some of the major impacts of data breaches-

?? Operational efficiency: Healthcare organizations are already on their toes for managing and maintaining the pool of health data. Operational efficiency drops badly whenever data is compromised. Operations like capturing, sharing, and retrieving data get halted as providers and staff can't access the patient records. The whole system has to go back to manual processes. This creates potential delays and affects patient care.

?? Patient trust and privacy: Patients share their highly sensitive and personal information with their providers with faith that their data is safe. This data includes medical histories, insurance info, financial details, and social security numbers. So, a breach of such data shatters a patient's trust in the system. This also damages the organization's reputation.

?? Legal and financial implications: If you're not taking healthcare data security seriously for your organization or practice, better prepare for a legal storm. Why? Patient data is regulated under HIPAA and other compliances, and not adhering to these regulations can lead to hefty fines, legal penalties, and lawsuits.?

Healthcare data threats

1. Ransomware attack: Cyber attackers lock up healthcare data until a ransom is paid. This is quite chaotic as it brings down the whole operation of the organization.?

2. Phishing: Scammers usually try to trick healthcare staff by sending fake emails, links, and websites to steal sensitive info like login credentials and financial data. This gives them unauthorized access to the info they can use anywhere.

3. Mobile vulnerabilities: More and more healthcare workers rely on mobile devices to access patient data and communicate for work. This gives hackers an open door or the entry point to get into the system to manipulate it and steal the info. Insecure mobile apps, outdated systems, and lack of encryption leave sensitive data vulnerable to theft.

These threats catch healthcare organizations off guard and endanger the sheer privacy of patient’s information.?

Ways to safeguard healthcare data

Data breaches are a serious concern for healthcare. Since its impact can crumble the system financially, operationally, and legally, healthcare organizations always seek ways to protect data.

Here are a few ways you can apply to protect healthcare data-?

1. Access control and need-to-know principles: Healthcare organizations must implement strict access controls. It ensures that only authorized personnel can access patient data on a need-to-know basis. This way you can minimize the insider threats risk and protect your data from accidental exposure.

2. Security awareness training for staff: Healthcare staff should be equipped with all the knowledge and skills around common cybersecurity threats and best practices for protecting patient data. Regular awareness training for all staff members ensures the integrity of healthcare data. Trained staff can recognize potential threats, such as phishing attempts, and take the right measures to handle them.

3. Endpoint protection and device monitoring: Devices used for accessing patient information must be protected by robust endpoint protection solutions, including next-generation antivirus and antimalware software. What's more? All devices connected to the network should be monitored for vulnerabilities and loopholes.?

4. Data encryption: To significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, sensitive data should be encrypted. Why? Even if cybercriminals get their hands on the encrypted data, they cannot decode it without the proper encryption keys.

5. Compliance with HIPAA and industry standards: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other industry-specific regulations are not only an official legal requirement. They're also a best practice if you wish to have comprehensive data security measures in place to ensure the safety and security of your data.

Conclusion

It's important to stay vigilant in your efforts when it comes to protecting health data. Cybercriminals are using more and more sophisticated tactics to steal healthcare information. However, healthcare organizations can secure their patient's trust and minimize the risk of data breaches by understanding the importance of protecting healthcare data and employing robust security measures. Healthcare data protection is more than a legal need. It is a moral imperative to preserve the integrity of the healthcare system and ensure high-quality patient care.

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