Today, many hospitals have transitioned from paper records to online systems for storing patient information. This shift enhances work efficiency and significantly reduces costs.
However, having data online also increases its attractiveness to cybercriminals. That's why MEDcury is here to share 8 ways to help hospitals protect patient privacy and safeguard against cyber theft and why it matters for hospital providers.
1. Adhere to 3 Key Regulations: HIPAA, GDPR, and PDPA
In addition to focusing on improving patient care, hospitals must also prioritize protecting patient data and privacy. There are three fundamental laws that serve as guidelines for safeguarding patient information: HIPAA, GDPR, and PDPA.
These regulations ensure that the collection, use, and transfer of Protected Health Information (PHI) comply with legal standards. Failure to adhere to these laws could result in legal consequences for the hospital.
To learn more about these regulations, check out this article : 3 Must-Know Data Laws Every Hospital Need to Follow.
2. Train Staff Effectively
Even a minor mistake or lapse in judgment by staff can lead to significant damage to a hospital, especially if they are unaware of the importance of protecting patient data. Therefore, training staff on security and patient privacy is crucial.
Providing training helps build knowledge and understanding of proper conduct, promotes wise decision-making, and increases awareness in managing patient information to ensure privacy is handled appropriately.
3. Restrict Data Access and Verify Identity Each Time
Restricting access to patient information to only those directly involved is a crucial part of data protection. This practice ensures that only relevant individuals or departments can view sensitive information, thereby minimizing exposure to unauthorized parties.
Even with restricted access, each instance of data access should be verified through Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This means that, in addition to using a Username and Password, access should be confirmed with additional authentication methods.
These can include PIN codes, key cards, or biometric verification such as facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, or iris scans. This ensures that only authorized individuals can access the data and prevents impersonation or unauthorized access.
4. Control Data Usage
Sometimes, merely restricting access and verifying identities is not enough. It's essential to also control data-related activities that may pose risks, such as uploading to websites, unauthorized email transmission, copying to external drives, or printing documents.
To effectively manage these activities, organizations must first conduct Data Discovery and Data Classification. This process involves identifying, assessing, and categorizing data based on its use and value.
By doing so, the system can determine the appropriate level of protection required for each type of data.
5. Log Access History
Maintaining access logs is crucial as it allows monitoring of who accessed the data, when, from which device, and from what location.
If any unusual access patterns are detected, the hospital can promptly implement preventive measures. Additionally, in the event of an unexpected incident, these logs can help identify the perpetrator, determine the cause, and assess the damage.
6. Data Encryption
Data encryption is one of the best methods for protecting hospital data and is essential for all organizations. Encrypted data remains secure both during transmission and while at rest.
Even if cyber attackers gain access to the data, decrypting it is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, encryption is a MUST for hospitals to ensure robust data security.
7. Regularly Assess Risks
Regular risk assessments allow hospitals to identify vulnerabilities across various areas, including organizational security systems, staff knowledge and understanding, the reliability and behavior of business partners, and other potential concerns.
Proactively conducting these assessments helps mitigate risks of data breaches and privacy violations. It also prevents other potential consequences, such as damage to reputation and penalties from regulatory bodies.
8. Offsite Data Backup
Data backup is essential not only for recovering from cyberattacks but also for protecting against unexpected events like natural disasters that could impact data storage centers. Therefore, hospitals should implement a robust data backup strategy.
Offsite backups are a great solution. Hospitals should use secure, reliable systems for these backups, and it's crucial to perform regular backups to ensure that the data remains as current as possible.
Do These Matters to Your Hospital ?
With these insights, make sure to apply them to enhance the security of your hospital's data. For further discussion, sharing opinions, or exchanging information about the healthcare industry, feel free to connect with us at MEDcury.
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Reference : Digital Guardian