Imagine walking into a crowded room and loudly sharing your deepest health secrets. Sounds like a nightmare, right? Well, this is what a data breach can feel like. Recently, more than 3.2 million people were unwittingly part of this digital nightmare when five separate data breaches hit healthcare businesses across the U.S. Private health information, Social Security numbers, and more got spilled into the wrong hands from compromised network servers and email services.
The Situation So Far
Here we are, wrapping up the first quarter of 2023, and the bad news is that our medical and health information is still a juicy target for cyber baddies. With millions of Americans relying on medical care daily, protecting their sensitive information while ensuring access to health services is a bit like walking a tightrope for providers and insurers.
This year, five organizations have stumbled off that tightrope, losing grip of the data for over 3.2 million individuals. Here’s who took the tumble:
- Wichita Urology lost almost 1500 patient records from their network server and systems.
- Northeast Surgical Group’s records of over 15,000 patients fell into the wrong hands.
- Zoll Medical announced that they had fumbled over 1 million user records for one of their products.
- Cerebral, a telehealth company, discovered their PIXEL trackers were unwittingly exposing patient data of almost 3.2 million individuals.
- The M K Morse Company was a victim of a ransomware attack, affecting about 1400 employees and their families.
It’s not just these guys; 95 breaches have been reported to the Office of Civil Rights, US Department of Health and Human Services since the beginning of this year, leaving almost 11 million people feeling exposed.
What’s This Mean For You?
If you’re a healthcare provider, protecting PHI isn’t just your job—it’s the law. Acts like HIPAA and HITECH spell this out in black and white, but it’s also a matter of doing the right thing. Your patients and employees trust you with their information; that trust is sacred.
So, what can you do?
If it’s not absolutely necessary, don’t collect it. Too much unnecessary information is like trying to juggle while walking a tightrope, making your job harder.
Collaborate with the experts. Whether they’re part of your team or external consultants, cybersecurity and health law professionals know their stuff. They can be your safety net when it comes to protecting sensitive information.
Everybody is on board! Everybody plays a part in cybersecurity, from the big boss to the guy sweeping the floors. It’s a team sport, and everybody, including those who supply your coffee and paper, should know how to keep your client’s data safe.
Remember, the digital era is kind of like a magic genie for healthcare – tons of cool perks! But, if we don’t stay alert, it can swiftly spiral into a scene from a horror movie. Let’s do our part to keep that dream alive and our patient’s trust intact.
Northstarr Recommends:
- Stick to the Essentials: When it comes to data collection, less is often more. Collect and store only the information that’s absolutely necessary for providing your services. This approach simplifies data management and reduces the potential risks associated with data breaches.
- Create a Culture of Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue but an everyone issue. From the head honcho down to the front desk, ensure that everyone on your team understands their role in safeguarding sensitive information.
- Regular Training: Keep your team’s knowledge updated with regular training sessions on the latest cybersecurity trends, potential threats, and best practices for maintaining patient confidentiality and data security.
- Invest in Professional Support: Hire a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or other cybersecurity professionals to maintain and monitor your data systems. These experts can provide a more comprehensive, proactive approach to cybersecurity than you can manage internally.
- Develop an Incident Response Plan: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Have a plan to respond swiftly and effectively to any data breaches or cyberattacks. This plan should include notifying affected parties, isolating and addressing security weaknesses, and preventing future breaches.
To find out more about how we can help, visit our website or give us a call at (888) 767-2210 to set up an appointment. We look forward to meeting with you!
