Healthcare is also facing cloud computing security issues and challenges. What are they? And if you are in the industry, what can you do to lessen the weight of these challenges? Perhaps mitigate them, instead?
So let us discuss the common issues and challenges that the healthcare industry is facing. Particularly, in cloud computing security.
Healthcare Cloud Computing Security Issues and Challenges
1. Security & compliance
The healthcare industry must ensure security and compliance. However, with cloud computing, this seems to be a challenge. Also, there is the fact that the industry must comply with HIPAA and HITECH.
2. Data protection
Data security is a challenge. In addition, this is a significant challenge for healthcare organizations. The big question here is how to protect data? Data loss or theft can cause serious consequences. So, how to protect data from being lost or being stolen?
3. Legal & regulatory compliance
Legal and regulatory compliance issues are another challenge in healthcare cloud computing security issues and challenges. How can healthcare organizations ensure that they are complying with both state and federal laws? What about the laws of other countries? How can they be sure that they are complying with all of them?
4. Security awareness & compliance training
The healthcare industry must have security awareness training. This is especially true for cloud computing security. Besides, various forms of training can be used. Most of all, security awareness training is very important. It is vital to the success of the organization.
5. Cloud service provider controls
Service providers have security controls in place. However, the healthcare industry must verify that they are in fact in place. Verifying these controls is important for cloud computing security issues and challenges in healthcare.
6. Cloud service provider encryption solutions
Encryption solutions are used by cloud service providers. The healthcare industry must verify that these solutions are in place and working properly. Encryption solutions can protect data from being stolen, lost, or corrupted while it is stored with the cloud service provider.
How to Mitigate the Risks
Security issues and challenges that healthcare organizations face can be reduced or perhaps mitigated if they take certain actions. You can take various actions to mitigate these issues and challenges. What are they? Let us discuss them here:
1. Risk assessment/management
Of course, performance of risk assessments should be regular. Particularly when it comes to healthcare organizations and cloud computing security issues and challenges, like HIPAA requirements.
Moreover, risk assessments will help to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities with cloud services, applications, hardware, etc., which will ensure better protection of patients’ information and other sensitive data stored with the healthcare organization or within their network environment.
2. Security & compliance
Ensuring security and compliance with HIPAA is vital for healthcare organizations with cloud computing security issues and challenges. Thus, healthcare organizations should follow HIPAA and remain compliant.
These regulations include business associate agreements (BAAs). Also, physical safeguard requirements, system safeguard requirements, administrative safeguard requirements, and technical safeguard requirements. IT also includes encryption safeguard requirements, training safeguard requirements, etc. All of which must be followed to maintain compliance with HIPAA.
Conclusion:
True, the healthcare industry faces challenges in cloud computing. But they can mitigate the risks associated with them by performing risk assessments, implementing security controls, and training their staff.
