Healthcare providers have been hard hit this past year with breaches in data security. Some are facing multi-million dollar lawsuits because of perceived flaws or lax oversight and protection of private and sensitive data. Careful planning is a major factor in providing an effective risk management approach to protecting data security in healthcare entities data security experts say.
Understanding exactly where the danger is, exactly where the information is stored and getting a response strategy to deal with a information breach. With regards to exactly where the information is stored, you will need to know the scope of and also the kind of information that the organization handles and stores. From that point, the development of strict internal and external policies and procedures for the use from the organization’s technologies, network security, protections about mobile devices, encryption and also the organization’s firewalls.
1 of the over-arching suggestions from security specialists is the fact that the healthcare providers have to make security a priority within the organization. It has to begin within the CEO’s workplace and flow downward also as with an emphasis on security at all levels. Getting 1 individual who’s the lead individual responsible and accountable for overall privacy and security is a superb method to make certain it is not getting overlooked. A leader who can instill a culture of privacy all through the organization, then it’ll flow all through the organization. This champion ought to have the ability to acquire a spending budget and interact with numerous departments to define their obligations to privacy and information security.
The organization should be committed to encryption. Encryption can make a dramatic difference within an organization. Another element is for the IT managers to perform regular tests on computer controls which should include firewalls and anti-virus software. Using scans to determine what vulnerabilities are in the system and then acting on the recommendations of the scan to fix problems and tighten up security. Products like encrypted flash drives is another method that an organization can use.
Compartmentalization of data and information is really a useful technique to steer clear of losing big amounts of information which are situated in 1 location to a cyber attack. Also “masking” the information that well being care workers see, to ensure that only those that have to see the information essential for their function will see it.
Following these steps and several more can help healthcare providers to avoid the costly and embarrassing theft of patient health data, personal information and financial information in both passive and aggressive data theft incidents.
Oliver David contributes articles for websites about topics like secure usb drive review and usb encryption.