The use of online health records has risen by 24 percent. A study conducted by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has revealed many informative and significant results related to the personal use of online medical records. Below is a summary of the most significant three:
The multichannel nature of healthcare today has made it susceptible to both physical and virtual forms of attack. While cybersecurity is increasingly becoming a major concern for healthcare entities, there are many areas of weaknesses that have yet to be taken care of. They include:
In recent months, a large number of states have sought to improve their healthcare security in various ways. Each of the following amendments and laws that have been passed tackles a different aspect of personal information protection including PHI and other sensitive data. But the list below is not only limited to the laws themselves, rather it includes any precedents that may have a significant effect on how healthcare is dealt with in the future.
Over the last few months, organizations have witnessed a whirlwind of new cyber attacks and breaches. Healthcare providers have long blamed most breaches on employee error and negligence, with various studies and reports revealing that the majority of healthcare breaches are a result of internal actors. And while this may be partially true, the fact remains that many organizations contribute to the problem themselves. Not through a lack of training or resources, but through a lack of proper data access regulation.
Pharmacogenomics, or the study of the human genome's response to drugs, originated in the late 1990s. It has continued to grow and culminated in what we call today precision medicine. Precision medicine includes the in-depth analysis of the genomic data and DNA sequencing files of an individual and his/her lineage for generations. This genetic information is used to select personalized treatment options.
In August of 2018, a group of researchers at Check Point Research successfully breached a system of computers through a vulnerability in a Hewlett Packard printer and fax machine. The team sent a fax containing malware disguised as an image to the machine, which stored the document, and gave the researchers access to all the computers on the network.
A recent Yale study revealed that a large number of American hospitals fail to provide patient records upon request. The research was based on simulated patients requesting medical records and was conducted in 83 of the best hospitals in the US, all of which have independent medical records request processes and medical records departments, reachable by phone.
In 2018, Canada witnessed some revolutionary changes to its laws regarding healthcare and data security. However, a report released in 2018 revealed it was also the country with the third most cyber security breaches. Consequently, it is important that healthcare organizations keep working towards stronger security measures while simultaneously improving the patient experience. Giva has compiled the following list of upcoming events in Canada focused on healthcare security and innovation:
Cyber security is a growing concern for healthcare entities in the US. The fear of threats has encouraged healthcare providers to connect and collaborate to protect themselves and the data of their patients from attackers. The following healthcare security events are some great opportunities for collaboration on the issue:
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:
