2018 was an eventful year for healthcare security. From the enforcement of new privacy laws to the amendment of existing ones, the international healthcare sector has experienced many changes. Telehealth is growing, new health record initiatives are being put in place and old ones are being updated. In spite of this, the industry still has a long way to go before it can be considered a secure place for data to be stored and managed. Below is a list of valuable lessons learned over the course of 2018:

[Read More]

In June of 2018, California passed the Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), a law with similar rules to the European GDPR, which is set to be enforced on January 1 of 2020. However, on September 23, the California government approved an amendment (labelled SB 1121) to modify important areas of the act and to improve consumer privacy and security rights. The CCPA and the upcoming changes are not only expected to affect Californian organizations, but also ones that conduct business in the state, meaning that the U.S. market will most likely be affected. Below is a list of changes that are expected to occur as a result of the amendments:

[Read More]

[Read More]

Over the past decade, cloud computing has quickly become a necessary transition for healthcare providers. In this technological era, things have become fast paced and an on-premises healthcare system will undoubtedly cause the industry to lag behind. According to the 2016 HIMSS Analytics Cloud Survey, 84 percent of participating healthcare organizations utilize cloud computing in one way or another. Its uses range from data backups and recovery, business functions such as organizational finance and human resources. However, cloud computing is affected by some negative aspects that can cause serious damage if they obstruct a healthcare entity's systems. This is mainly because emergency situations do not withstand additional pressure. Healthcare providers still have some reservations about the following:

[Read More]

In the health sector, priority is always given to saving lives while the security of personal health records (PHR) is often overlooked. This is because in comparison to emergency situations, the storage of information seems very insignificant. As a result, an increasing number of healthcare providers are facing the consequences. From January through May of 2018, in the United States there were 147 security breaches reported, representing 2,807,227 health records exposed via various cyber attack methods. These methods include email hacks, ransomware incidents and malware infections, among others. Cyber-crime is stronger than it has ever been and there are no signs of its decline. Therefore, healthcare providers should counteract this by rising up to the occasion and replacing outdated security tools with updated technologies and strategies.

[Read More]

In 2017 Oracle unveiled new product to streamline data flow throughout the healthcare clinical research and development process, while reducing associated costs. The system, called Oracle Health Sciences Data Management Workbench Cloud Service, enables pharmaceutical companies to contract research organizations to amalgamate, consolidate and analyze the expansive and differing volume of healthcare and clinical data.

What proved to be the service's most impressive feature was the way its workbench operated with regard to its multifaceted ability to improve data management:

[Read More]

The HIPAA Security Rule has a set list of requirements for covered entities to adhere to, all of which aim to ensure that organizations housing sensitive personal health information (PHI) are able to secure themselves against potential hackers. One of the conditions for being considered HIPAA compliant is to identify and protect against reasonably anticipated threats. 2017 was a year full of international cyber attacks, which heavily affected health care functions worldwide. Consequently, a new tactic that emerged and is currently being adopted by a growing number of healthcare entities is the use of military war-games to test the strength of cyber security barriers. This consists of a simulation of events that are controlled by the players in the game (in this case, hackers VS defenders).

[Read More]

Even though HIPAA awareness and training is in abundance all across the US, the Department of Health and Human Services received 1,996 breaches in only the first half of 2017. It seems that no matter how hard organizations try, they continue to fall victim to breaches and attacks and do not take sufficient corrective measures to avoid future issues. In response, we have compiled a list of some of the most important lessons learned from 2017 HIPAA violations:

[Read More]

As the healthcare industry begins to adopt more widespread technology, healthcare professionals must adapt to the growing tide of technological reliance. "Physicians are slow to change - until they see the data," said Mayo Clinic chief executive John Noseworthy, during a conversation at healthcare startup incubator Matter in Chicago, Illinois. In order to pique interest, healthcare providers must show physicians the positive effects that technological adoption can have on patients' well-being:

[Read More]