Making Your Security Top Notch For Cloud-Based Medical Records |
Posted: October 30, 2017 |
Regardless of whether a medical practice keeps its records on paper or in digital form, one thing is clear: medical office produce and keep a dizzying amount of sensitive data. At one time, paper records were the only option for medical practices. Paper-based practices often have massive warehouse filled with boxes upon boxes of medical records, and they employ personnel who are in charge of sorting and storing all of the important information. Although offices can feel confident knowing they have paper copies of absolutely everything, there are risks involved with this approach. A single fire or a break-in can wipe out all of the documents, and the environmental impact of using so much paper has far-reaching effects. If a physician needs access to an archived record, it can take hours for someone to locate it. Human error is also a concern with paper medical records: indecipherable handwriting can lead to all kinds of misunderstandings and confusion. Some feel that the advantages of paper records outweigh the drawbacks: physical records can be easier to track and find than digital records, digital records can be lost, deleted or manipulated and physical records are seen as more legitimate and authentic to some. In certain industries it is mandatory to keep paper copies of all information for quality control purposes. Many medical offices are turning to cloud-based digital records to save time, money and effort. A recent research study found that the healthcare cloud computing market only comprises four percent of the entire cloud computing industry. However, in 2017 alone healthcare cloud computing is set to grow to a $5.4 billion industry. Cloud service providers have worked at a rapid pace to introduce solutions that are HIPAA compliant. In fact, many cloud service providers realize that they are just as liable for HIPAA-related offenses as the medical offices they serve. Having a top-notch security system is extremely important for practices that choose to store data in the cloud. Hackers are one of the biggest concerns, but one study indicated that only two percent of respondents experienced data breaches since moving to the cloud. Data loss is another issue, although just five percent of respondents in the same study noted problems with data loss. To protect your practice from attacks and data loss, experts recommend: 1.Regular training Most medical professionals are accustomed to ongoing training--everything from getting an ACLS certification to passing a specialized board exam requires education and practice. Education is one of the first defenses against a cyber attack or data loss. Anyone and everyone who works with cloud-based medical records needs to have specialized training on relevant hardware and software, and training should be ongoing so that employees can keep up with new developments and updates. 2.Securing physical items Sometimes data is distributed through USB drives, mass storage devices, tablets, laptops and other forms of hardware. Practices need to develop clear guidelines for employees to follow while accessing medical information on various devices. In the same way that a practice would protect its physical records from thieves, access to digital records should be monitored and restricted. 3. Analyze cloud providers Medical offices have many options when it comes to choosing a cloud-based service provider. There is a wide array of companies to choose from, and offices should conduct research before settling on one. It’s also wise for practices to enlist third-party help for this task. 4.Prepare for a data breach No one wants to consider the impact of a data breach, but it is a threat to all practices, regardless of security efforts. Each practice should have a plan in place for a data breach, along with physical backup records that can be kept in a safe place. Taking these steps can be the difference between a drawn-out catastrophe and a manageable mini-crisis if a data breach happens. As more medical offices migrate to the cloud, companies in the cloud computing space are likely to allocate more funds and manpower toward technological developments and security improvements. This will benefit early adopters as well as practices that embrace cloud computing down the line.
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