For most providers who have adjusted to the world of digital healthcare, finding ways to protect your patient’s Personal Health Information (PHI) has been an ongoing battle.
While there are many options for providers to digitize different parts of their practice like patient records, billing records, and even prescription writing, how do providers both identify and avoid the challenges facing cybersecurity in healthcare? Protecting the health data of your patients and your practice should be a top priority. A data breach can pose a heavy cost to your practice. Not only financially, but it can cost your practice its reputation and your patient’s their privacy and safety. Keep reading to learn the top challenges facing cybersecurity in healthcare and the top strategies to tackle them.
Challenges with Cybersecurity in Healthcare:
1) Phishing Attacks
Phishing is a top threat to cybersecurity in healthcare. What is phishing? This is when a cybercriminal or group attempts to break into your data by sending emails to those inside your practice. These emails are disguised in a way that makes them seem reputable and safe. When the link is clicked in the email by a member of your practice, the cybercriminal can gain access to protected practice data.
2) Cloud-Based Software
While cloud-based software has the ability to keep your practice extra secure from losing your protected data to a software crash, it also has its challenges. Cloud-based software creates a challenge for cybersecurity in healthcare when it is not properly encrypted. Without well-encrypted software, cybercriminals are able to find quick avenues to access your private data.
3) Websites and Passwords
One of the most frequent challenges facing cybersecurity in healthcare is a provider’s employees. Usually without malicious intent, employees sometimes visit websites created by cybercriminals that are designed similarly to other frequently used websites. They then click links that give cybercriminals access. Employees also use passwords that are not secure enough or are ones they use quite often. If a cybercriminal decodes your employee’s email password, it is easy to hack the password that they use at work.
Solutions:
1) Encrypted Cloud-Based Software
Just as cloud-based software can be a threat to your protected data, it can also be the most secure place for it. By partnering with a vendor of healthcare technology that offers properly encrypted, cloud-based software, providers will not have to worry about the security of their protected data. Their patient’s data will be secure from cybercriminals who are unable to surpass encryption and also safe from computer crashes that cause data to disappear.
2) There is No Such Thing as Overprotected Data
Providers should take every precaution to secure their data. Cybersecurity in healthcare involves quality software, firewall protection, outstanding computer practices, secure computer passwords, and more. Providers should invest heavily in cybersecurity in healthcare to not only protect their practice from a data breach but to also protect their patients from anyone gaining access to their personal information. Make sure your employees are aware of what phishing emails look like, what a secure password involves, and to only visit approved websites. Protect your mobile devices with encrypted software, and use firewalls for anything connected to the internet. These are all ways to optimize cybersecurity in healthcare.
3) Make It A Priority
Just as providing quality patient care should be a top priority to healthcare providers, investing resources toward cybersecurity in healthcare should be as well. Without properly protected data, providers will not be able to offer top of the line patient care. Create a culture of security at your practice where each member of your practice understands the importance of cybersecurity in healthcare and how to operate in a defended way.
These challenges involved in cybersecurity in healthcare face each provider across the country who operates even somewhat in the digital realm. To learn more about quality software that can keep your practice secure from cybercriminals, click here.
