If the Change Healthcare Breach was any proof, cyberattacks anywhere in the healthcare sector have significant and rippling consequences. Cyberattacks within the industry threaten to compromise patient privacy, care and the overall integrity of internal and external systems. This is not to mention the wave of compliance concerns within HIPAA and other various organizations. With this in mind, security, patient privacy, and care hold the utmost importance within telemedicine. The digitization of medical services has brought incredible access to care in rural and urban places alike. Yet, it has also brought the increased need for proper cybersecurity practices.
From 2009 to 2022, The HIPAA Journal reported that over 342 million patient records had been compromised. Today, matching the pace of a digital revolution, that number is significantly higher. We recognize that adding telemedicine does introduce another potential attack vector. In our last blog, we dove into the types of cyberattacks and what each threat means for telemedicine in today’s climate. Today, we want to continue our pledge to secure medical access by digging deeper into strategies hospitals should implement to protect patients’ data and internal systems alike.
Protecting Your Patients and Systems Data
There are many ways to keep a watchful eye on your data, so we have collected the top 8 ways your organization can take the next step to secure patient and company data.
- Data Encryption – Prevent unauthorized access by encrypting data in-transit and at-rest. Ensure your team uses secure communication protocols (e.g., TLS, SSL) for all data transmission.
- Authentication Mechanisms – We all know that Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can be a pain at times, but there is a reason it is so popular, it works. Consider implementing MFA to add an extra layer of security and enforce strong, unique passwords and regular updates.
- Regular Software Updates and Patching – In the world of data protection, don’t let time sneak by. Regularly updating software and applying patches to fix known vulnerabilities are the easiest ways to fortify your walls. Consider using automated systems to ensure timely updates.
- Comprehensive Security Training – It is incredibly important to train your employees to recognize phishing attempts and learn the safe way to handle data. One way to maintain training is to plan regular practice. Consider conducting regular cybersecurity drills to prepare for potential attacks.
- Secure Communication Channels – Within telemedicine, secure video conferencing is not even a question; it is a must. Use telehealth platforms with built-in security features like Eagle Telemedicine.
- Access Controls – Implement role-based access controls. These will limit access to sensitive information based on the user’s role and maintain access and activity logs to detect and respond to suspicious behavior.
- Incident Response Plan – Don’t place your bet on hoping the bad never happens. Develop and regularly update an incident response plan that ensures rapid detection and response to security incidents to minimize damage. We advise using this plan in your training as well.
- Compliance with Regulations – Ensure your organization stays updated on HIPAA regulations. Conducting regular security audits and compliance checks can help you stay accountable.
Unfortunately, achieving total invulnerability in any industry is borderline impossible, but telemedicine is worth the added responsibility. It has proven to make life-changing differences on a large scale, helping hospitals keep in-person staff to expand access to specialty, no matter the location. By implementing HIPAA-compliant software and processes, as well as taking the extra step with the eight strategies listed above, your hospital can offer affordable, improved care while mitigating the limited physician crisis, one telemedicine visit at a time. At Eagle, we pride ourselves on maintaining the highest possible security posture for our own systems, as well as for how we engage with all of our partners. Learn more and Contact us today if you are interested in adding a secure, well-vetted telemedicine program to your capabilities.
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