Patients must be able to trust that information shared in confidence will be protected.
Preserving that trust, preventing harm, and respecting patients’ privacy and autonomy are all obligations of all medical professionals.
“I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know.“
The American Medical Association notes that cybersecurity has a significant impact on health care and states in Principle IV of Medical Ethics that physicians “shall respect the rights of patients… and shall safeguard patient confidences and privacy within the constraints of the law.”
Legal Requirements
Standards
Regulatory requirements for medical professionals can be difficult and costly especially for smaller practices.
Many ignore complex problems. You need trained professionals who understand your business and your risk, to help you to build and operate your security program, educate staff, and prepare for potential cyber incidents. We specialize in making cybersecurity simple, easy to operate, and cost effective for your practice.
Talk to an expertCompliance Risks
Key risks in the medical sector
Data Breaches and Confidentiality
- Electronic Medical Records include the sending and receiving emails, entering health and prescription information, connecting patients to medical equipment (via hospital network or wirelessly to a tablet), sending and receiving digital images, and handling payment and insurance information.
Ransomware Attacks
- Cybercriminals can deploy ransomware to encrypt data and demand a ransom in exchange for decryption keys.
Internal Threats and Insider Attacks
- Employees or contractors with access to sensitive client data can intentionally or unintentionally leak information, or their accounts can be compromised.
Phishing and Social Engineering Attacks
- Cybercriminals use phishing emails, phone calls, or fake websites to deceive medical professionals into revealing confidential information or transferring funds.
Third-Party Risks
- Medical service providers often rely on third-party vendors for coding and medical billing, cloud storage, patient record management, IT management, etc. These third parties may not have the same level of security controls.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance Violations
- Medical service providers must comply with various federal and state laws regarding data protection..
Best Practices for the Medical Sector in Mitigating These Risks
We will partner with you to adopt a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity that includes the following best practices:
- Strong Encryption: Use strong encryptions for all sensitive data at rest and in transit, to protect against unauthorized access,
- Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA for access to critical systems and sensitive patient data.
- Access Controls: Implement role-based access controls (RBAC) to ensure only authorised personnel can access sensitive information.
- Regular Audits and Assessments: Conduct regular security assessments to identify risks and vulnerabilities and establish proactive mitigations.
- Secure Medical Devices: Work closely with manufacturers to ensure that medical devices connected to your network are secure and regularly updated.
- Third-Party Risk Management: Carefully screen and vet third-party providers and ensure they meet high security standards and comply with access controls to patient data.
- Incident Response Plan: Establish a robust incident response plan to quickly address and mitigate the effects of any cybersecurity breaches.
- Disaster Recovery Plan: Develop and regularly test business continuity plans to ensure business resilience in case of a cyber event.
- Employee Training: Regularly educate employees on phishing attacks, business email compromise, data protection, and proper handling of sensitive patient information.
We will help you build a proactive risk and compliance strategy so that you can mitigate risks, comply with legislative requirements, and uphold patient trust in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Benjii Creevey
Decades of experience across telecoms, IT and GRC - Benjii brings extensive experience in risk management, cybersecurity and complaince across multiple industries.
Thomas Schultz
30 year career as an accountant, lawyer and former FBI agent focussing on risk management, cybersecurity and forensics.
Benjamin Shapira
30 years in the digital advertising, marketing and product development space, Ben is a tech founder, brand expert, UX/UI specialist and an Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University of Technology.
Michael Brooks
40+ years in imaging technologies, Michael is retired FBI scientific support bringing extensive technical skills in forensic, training and business sectors.
Jason Durrant
20 years of experience in the IT industry focussing on providing insights across various levels of business solutions. With a background in software development and business analysis Jason understands the challenges as well as clearly identify proposed solutions.
Steve Duckworth
Steve’s real world business roots guide our obsession with delivering value and efficiency for the small and medium sized business. With 30+ years of experience in the construction and restoration industry, Steve has built a reputation for integrity, quality craftsmanship, and rapid response in times of crisis.