The healthcare industry is constantly metamorphosing. Rapid technological developments have ensured better patient care and healthcare delivery in the last few years. Healthcare providers can now make wise decisions with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Yet medical practitioners should ensure that all the procedures adhere to HIPAA while also providing patients the best treatment they deserve. HIPAA, also known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), makes sure that patient data which is sensitive in nature is protected. Hence, data security and confidentiality, a top priority of HIPAA, has become increasingly vital in the healthcare sector.
Healthcare personnel now have access to patient data enabled by the internet. In addition, the internet has also allowed hackers to exploit the system and abstract sensitive data. Cyberattacks compromise the health and the safety of the patients but can disrupt the entire healthcare system. In turn, this could lead to catastrophic repercussions. Keeping this in mind, organizations should take data security seriously and implement effective policies to prevent such attacks.
With the healthcare business increasingly supported by technology and the internet for its operations, data security issues are becoming more frequent.
1. Risk of legacy systems: With each passing day, legacy applications will expose businesses to data security attacks since hackers are progressing rapidly. Organizations need to keep pace with the latest technologies and systems, upgrade themselves constantly and avert the risk of such attacks.
2. Password security risks: The main factor contributing to data breaches is weak passwords, as cited by IT professionals. Password vulnerabilities are most commonly caused by failing to adhere to the standards. A threat actor can get network access in several ways by exploiting password flaws. Medical institutions must maintain proper cyber hygiene by implementing passwords that are difficult to crack. Absolute security on data is only possible through password management.
3. Email Scams with Malware: Thousands of medical data and patient financial information have been stolen by phishing attacks. Cybercriminals often pretend to be known friends or reputable companies and send emails with viruses or links to phishing websites embedded. One of the first steps in avoiding being a victim of such an attack is to remain informed and educated. Professionals should be trained to spot malicious emails and potentially dangerous messages. The need of the hour for the data security teams is to monitor the trends in the industry and stay updated with the latest attacks so that they can impart training to their organizations to avert such attacks.
4. Ignorance/lack of awareness: According to recent studies, the global average cost resulting from insider threats is as high as $11.45million. It is often the ignorance of security practices and lack of awareness of the threat landscapes that cost organizations very dearly. A study on cybersecurity measures by Gartner suggests that at least 60% of large enterprises/organizations are likely to implement comprehensive security awareness training programs, with at least one dedicated full-time equivalent (FTE) for fulfillment. Healthcare organizations must ensure that all procedures and policies are maintained while dealing with patient data. Employees should also be adequately educated on the importance of adhering to protocols. Such best practices can help avoid unintentional violations of security protocols.
5. Lack of controls on data and applications access: Patient confidentiality is at the crux of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), with greater stress on the security of such information. Sensitive patient information and critical applications should be accessible only to authorized users.
6. Restricting access to data: When patient information is kept unrestrained, it poses significant hazards. When it comes to patient data, organizations worry about data breaches and invasion of privacy, to name a few. Hence, stringent protocols must be implemented to lower such risks. Workstations should be kept locked and safe at all times. Data encryption is yet another way to ensure that it cannot be tampered with while at rest or in transit.
Ever since the pandemic, healthcare providers have been aggressively adopting the virtual route of staying connected with patients and continuing to provide services remotely. With capabilities to see almost 50 to 175 times more patients, telehealth is here to stay and change the landscape of the healthcare industry.
While our response to the digital era of healthcare is agile, so must our security and privacy measures. Taking note of such challenges and working on them can go a long way for businesses to be protected against such future attacks. While government regulations like HIPAA and GDPR have a positive influence on data security for both patients and medical institutions, organizations should constantly comply with the requirements and restrictions. Regulations like HIPAA and GDPR are just the tip of the iceberg. Organizations should go beyond these regulations to keep their systems safe and secure. Investing in best in class infrastructures and network architectures, regular training offered to employees, data encryption, and keeping oneself updated regarding the threats are some practices that will assist businesses to be safe.
Shankar Sunnathi, Senior Vice President – IT & Compliance, Omega Healthcare Management Services