Statistics show that the most popular target among hackers is the healthcare industry. In this year alone, cybersecurity agencies report a 10 per cent rise in attacks from cybercriminals, which is likely to increase in the next few months.
Admittedly, the wealth of sensitive data that the healthcare sector possesses makes for an appealing and attractive target for cybercriminals. And with the surge in the number of patients amid the pandemic, you can expect hackers to take advantage of this to profit from ransom payments.
Fortunately for you, there are various ways to improve patient data security without having to spend millions. So without further ado, below are three simple yet clever ways to protect sensitive medical records from cyber threats.
1. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
According to experts, human error causes 95 per cent of all cybersecurity breaches. Thus, it would be best to implement role-based access control (RBAC) in your company that can help you regulate the number of people who can access information in your system.
This method restricts network access depending on the person’s role within your institution, which means that employees will only be given access to the type of information that allows them to perform their duties—nothing more, nothing less.
Factors such as authority, responsibility and job duties will determine how much a particular staff member can access. To put it simply, receptionists will only be able to access data that enable them to set appointments, view schedules and the like. They will be restricted from retrieving more sensitive patient data as this is not part of their job.
2. Backup Data in an Offsite Storage
Most of the time, the healthcare sector pays more attention to putting data protection plans in place that they forget to be mindful of backup strategies for data recovery. With that said, it is vital to have a backup of your data as cyber attacks aren’t the only things that pose a danger to your records.
There are instances wherein data is lost due to malware programs or natural disorders. Thus, it would be best to have separate offsite storage where you can backup all of your data. In this way, you can quickly recover every bit of lost information even if your computer is damaged or compromised.
3. In-House Hospital Records Storage
When all else fails, you can opt for the old-school way of protecting your data through hospital shelving. This method allows you to store and secure medical documents and records within your facility.
Ultimately, this can protect all patient records effectively as tangible documents are out of reach from cybercriminals. You can also regulate who can access locked file cabinets to prevent data theft.
Conclusion
There’s no denying that healthcare institutions possess a great deal of sensitive information about patients and clients. Thus, as the manager or owner, it is your sole responsibility to secure your records and protect your company from looming threats. Furthermore, prioritising security can help you earn the trust of your customers, making them feel at ease to put themselves under your care.
PP Healthcare Solutions is the leading provider of specialised storage systems that can help protect medical pieces of equipment and records from damage and theft. For high-quality medical storage that can help you with data management and repository, order from us with confidence.