The healthcare industry is undergoing tight modernization, and fresh programs and applications are created and introduced at the speed of light. Trained professionals at Diversido can offer software solutions for any healthcare sector. However, what an app developer can’t ensure to the fullest is user data safety.
Best Ways To Prevent Medical Data Theft
Criminal activity related to medical records and patient data leaks is vast-spreading. So, as an institution holder and a medical software investor, you should take a range of steps towards ensuring that no medical data is at risk of being stolen. There are few main points to implement into your healthcare work routine, and your institution or practice will be safe from hack attacks, considerable fines, and a ruined reputation.
Cybersecurity protocols
The chances that you are the only one to access patient-sensitive data are slim. There is also staff that may require access to specific protocols and forms. Thus, the better training on cybersecurity your team gets, the safer the medical data they have access to will be. You can hire a professional consultant to lead the team through all the steps to be taken should any suspicious activity be spotted. A one-time investment can save you a fortune spent should the inevitable happen.
Software updates
There is a reason why fresh updates are released regularly. It may seem like a waste of time to go offline for a while to install the pending updates. However, that is what most hackers expect. The longer you postpone the update, the more vulnerable the information stored on your device will be. This may seem like a necessary precaution, but it is proved to pay off greatly.
Controlled data access
It has been mentioned that most of the staff are likely to have access to at least some patient data deemed valuable by hackers. If you hire new personnel, it’s advised to grant the protected patient information access to just one person. What is more, implementing a record feature into the system to see who used the data and when will reduce the number of those suspected of any fraudulent activity to just a few people instead of the whole team.
Password updates
Another common thing that most people do is setting the same password for all their accounts and office programs. While it is convenient for you since you are sure that you won’t forget the password, it is as convenient for those interested in data theft. Should just one working password be spotted, it will be applied to all protected software, and the chances are that it will work are grand. It may take some time and effort to create different passwords for all the programs in use, but the patient data will be a lot safer.
Secure password storage
You may need some safe place to store all those passwords you share. Adding them to a shared document or email is the worst idea ever, and all the staff working for you should know about it. Besides, writing the passwords out on a sticky note is an equally poor idea. There are numerous secure password storages available these days. It takes as much as to pick the one that suits you most, and you will be another step closer to ensuring utterly secure patient data software.
Risk assessment conduction
It is hard to point out all the weak points of your system on your own. However, there are trained IT specialists who can help you conduct regular risk assessments. Such risk assessments will show potentially vulnerable points of the software so that they can be patched up or replaced on time to ensure no data is compromised.
Layered defense system
It is easy to underestimate the potential of the defense system in use. That is why the experts have it – the more layers your defense system has – the better. It is not enough to install a secure password to protect the patient data entrusted with your institution. A firewall, an antivirus, along application whitelisting should be added to the scene too. Such a multi-layer defense system is designed to ensure that even if one layer is breached, the hacker won’t be able to access the wanted information. Besides, you will be alarmed by the attempt, and it will buy you some time to fix the damage and improve your defense.
Data breach prevention plan
It may happen that despite the precautions and regular hack-preventive maintenance, the breach occurs. However, falling into despair the moment your defense is breached is the worst thing to do. Every member of the staff entitled to access to protected data should know how to react precisely in such a situation. Coming up with a data recovery plan together with the IT specialist is among the main things to consider before the inevitable happens.
Quality software investment
When you are launching the pilot project, you may not have enough investment to develop the best software on the market. However, when it is either ultra-modern design and interface or increased cybersecurity – it is advised to choose the latter. Besides, as your practice becomes more prosperous, considering a switch from an average-rated software to a high-security one is a wise thing to do too.
Conclusion
To sum up, it’s safe to say that along with the quality of the medical services you provide comes ensured patient data security. Not only the loss of user data can lead to considerable financial losses. There are cares of criminal penalties and utterly ruined reputation too.
To make sure that the protected patient data is safe and secure. You do not need to invest a fortune into the defense system. All it takes is the well-trained team, limited and secure access to sensitive information, along with some minor security maintenance steps to ensure that no medical data you possess can be stolen!