Just how serious healthcare cybersecurity is in the healthcare industry? According to Becker’s Hospital Review, approximately more than 5 Billion Dollars costs the healthcare industry in a year.
More than 27 million patient records attacked in a year, with an average of at least one health data breach per day as per the Breach Barometer Reports for the year 2016 alone.
Informatics professionals hired to improve healthcare’s cybersecurity. But know that each can do his part for everyone’s protection. Remember how protected and secured patient records linked to good healthcare, and good healthcare is to live. How can you make a share?
CYBERSECURITY IN HEALTHCARE: HAVE A SHARE FOR EVERYONE’S PROTECTION
Wise Email Use
It’s good to remember how we should not act on our impulse. Make an informed decision. Before you click that link, before you download that file- make sure what that is, to whom it came from and how it can affect your system. 95 percent of computer malware that enters into computers is caused by human error and 92 percent are email phishing attacks. It’s either that file or that hyperlink can be a source of it. Yes, email is a method of choice for cybercriminals. So how you do manage your email can have a great share for secured protection.
Personal Mobile Device Protection
Increased technology-led increasing healthcare professionals and providers to use and link their mobile devices at work. This can be a window to data breach! Ensure encryption and know-how protective measures are vital in keeping these devices and any information in it secure.
Anti-virus Software and Firewall for all devices
Any device connected to the internet should have a firewall, and each should have maintained anti-virus software. Installation should be coupled with regular maintenance with its system updates. This is to ensure the best possible protection it can provide.
Use Strong Passwords and Regularly Change Them
You may have chosen a strong password for yourself, but do you regularly change them? The Verizon report has found that 63 percent of confirmed data breaches are involved in the use of default, weak, and stolen passwords. Aside from having a regularly changed strong password, also remember to use different passwords in different devices.
Practice Good Computer Habits
Each member of the healthcare providers should be knowledgeable enough of the company’s standards in best practices of computer use, software, and operating system maintenance. A new employee onboard should be trained for this, and regular employees should also be regularly reminded. Make it a practice.
In addition to these, you may have thought of more of what we can do to enhance cybersecurity in the healthcare industry. Innovations of used practices are continually developed to ensure the best practices are at hand. We all want to ensure the confidential sensitive data of our dear patients, we don’t only protect them, but this assures them that they are provided with the optimum healthcare services as possible. Not only them but this protects the whole healthcare industry from harm and financial loss as well.
