Enhancing Your Data Security: Closing the Gap on Unsecured Communications
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This document discusses enhancing data security in healthcare by closing gaps in unsecured communications. It notes that healthcare is one of the most vulnerable industries to cyberattacks, with many recent breaches exposing patient data. While security is important, many healthcare companies are unprepared for attacks and share large amounts of data via unsecured methods. The document provides recommendations on keeping security plans updated through educated employees, tight processes, and the right technology like encryption, firewalls, and data loss prevention. It emphasizes defining a data strategy, implementing policies and layers of security tools, training end users, and developing business continuity plans to protect patient data.
Enhancing Your Data Security: Closing the Gap on Unsecured Communications
- 1. ENHANCING YOUR DATA SECURITY: CLOSING THE GAP ON UNSECURED COMMUNICATIONS
- 2. 2 WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? Healthcare one of top 4 most vulnerable industries to cyberattacks1 Patient data exposed for over a month due to major Medicaid and Affordable Care Act insurer breach 300K records breached in ransomware attack on Pennsylvania based health care group Virginia based health system data breach affects 650K patients after vendor inadvertently made PHI accessible on line U.S. healthcare cyberattacks increased 63% last year1 1 Source: The Merkle 2 Source: Becker's Hospital Review
- 3. 3 SECURITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER 39% of healthcare companies aren’t prepared for a cyberattack1 1/3 of hospital CIOs estimate more than 20% of data is shared via unsecured methods2 “The sensitivity of health-related information and large number of data touch points”3 “46% admit employees were not following policies for securing devices”4 Healthcare is one of the most vulnerable industries. Why? 1Source: The Merkle 2Source: Spok 2017 CHIME Survey 3Source: Health IT Security 4Source: Healthcare IT News
- 4. 4 KEEP YOUR SECURITY PLAN UPDATED The time to secure patient data is now Financial Compliance Reputation Patient Care Research Benefits
- 5. 5 WHAT YOU NEED Educated people, tight processes, and the right technology Process
- 6. 6 Implement multiple layers of security tools to support policies TECHNOLOGY Monitoring capabilities Firewalls Blacklist/ whitelist mechanisms Virtual private networks (VPNs) Secure text messaging Data encryption Data loss prevention (DLP) solutions
- 7. 7 TECHNOLOGY Ensure your storage technology is secure Protected health data should be stored on secure servers or secure cloud environment Access to data should be restricted to authorized users Storage vendors must adhere to the same privacy and security rules
- 8. 8 TECHNOLOGY Address smartphone security with enterprise mobility management Allow employees to use the mobile devices they prefer Use EMM solutions to safeguard the unauthorized transmission of ePHI
- 9. 9 TECHNOLOGY Tips and best practices
- 10. 10 PROCESS Tracking all devices Patient information should be restricted to those who need it to do their job Even devices of those with approved access can pose a security threat
- 11. 11 PROCESS Partner encrypted technology with the right processes Understand where patient data is stored and how it’s transmitted Be aware of lost or stolen mobile devices and overall network security
- 12. 12 SENDING AND RECEIVING ePHI Secure data while it’s in your possession Secure data while it’s in transit Ensure appropriate security measures Document and analyze decisions and rationale Periodically review and update security measures
- 13. 13 PROCESS Implement policies to support your data-protection strategy Acceptable use policies give employees solid direction on maintaining privacy Human error or negligence is one of the greatest dangers to the security of PHI
- 14. 14 PROCESS Develop an overall business continuity plan Ability to constantly access medical records can be a matter of life and death Your plan should detail the people, processes, and technologies necessary to keep IT systems operational
- 15. 15 PEOPLE Train your end users • Human error/negligence is a major cause of breaches • Include a strong employee education component
- 16. 16 PEOPLE Addressing human error Users should have unique, authenticated identities to access PHI Protocols should include auditing functions that monitor proper use and can trace the source of any breaches
- 17. 17 SECURE TEXT MESSAGING Access staff directory and on-call schedules Security and encryption Receive patient care alerts and test results
- 18. 18 TAKEAWAYS Protect your patients 1. Define your hospital’s strategy for managing sensitive data 2. Implement policies to support your data-protection strategy 3. Implement multiple layers of security tools to support policies 4. Train your end users 5. Develop an overall business continuity plan
- 19. 19 LET’S GET IN TOUCH! Learn more: CASE STUDIES VIDEOS We’d love to hear from you! spok.com getinfo@spok.com