Editor’s note: The following is a sponsored blog post from A-LIGN:
The COVID health emergency may be slowly receding, but there’s at least one thing from the pandemic that is not going away: our increased reliance on the internet. Online activity is expected to remain elevated even as we transition into the post-pandemic era. While this brave new digital world confers great benefits, it also presents opportunities for hackers seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and commit cyber crimes. This is especially problematic for those operating in, or closely with, the healthcare industry.
We invite you to check out our eBook Healthcare Cybersecurity & Compliance where we explore the security threats and challenges facing the healthcare industry in post-pandemic America. But if you’re short on time, continue reading for highlights from the eBook.
HIPAA Isn’t Just for Doctors and Nurses
Healthcare professionals and administrators in the US are no doubt aware that they must comply with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) for electronic protected health information (ePHI) including digital medical records, electronic MRI scans and contact information.
In our 2022 Compliance Benchmark Report, we found that HIPAA was either currently underway or planned in the next 12 months for 56% of survey respondents and was deemed one of the most important services for their business by 32%. It makes sense that regulatory requirements are a top driver of compliance, as several industries legally require organizations to abide by certain standards.
Business associates who are exposed to ePHI must also comply with the law. These can include anyone from lawyers to software developers who create telemedicine apps, to employees of cleaning companies with contracts at care centers. All of these entities must be sure to implement cybersecurity measures not only to avoid fines, but to ensure patient data remains secure in an environment that’s attractive to hackers.
Healthcare Is a Prime Target for Cyber Criminals
Telemedicine took off during the pandemic, increasing by over 2,000% between 2019 to 2021. Use of the service will remain high, and cyber criminals have taken note. The more that doctor visits and treatments take place online, the more networks and devices become vulnerable to bad actors. Their preferred method of intrusion is a ransomware attack, which involves hijacking a network and blocking anyone else from accessing it until the hackers receive a ransom payment, usually in cryptocurrency.
Locking doctors, nurses, administrators and other healthcare workers out of their devices (including IoT medical devices) puts patient lives at risk, and hackers know this. Usually victims will have no choice but to pay up, and fast, so as not to jeopardize patient health.
Healthcare ransomware attacks are on the rise with more than one third of organizations experiencing such an attack in 2020. Cyber criminals favor targeting smaller institutions as they know they lack the funding to proactively secure their networks. The US government has responded with proposed legislation intended to address networked / IoT medical devices through the Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care (PATCH) Act.
Enhance Your Cybersecurity Posture
Securing patient data and complying with HIPAA laws may seem like a challenge, but here are three of the 10 steps your organization can take to thwart a cyber incident.
- Designate an Information Security Manager / team and a Privacy Officer led by a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) or Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
- Design and implement formal security and privacy policies and procedures. These policies and procedures should be based on recognized security frameworks like NIST 800-53.
- Train all employees and contractors on security and privacy policies and procedures, and have them acknowledge their understanding in written documentation at least once annually.
To view the additional seven recommended steps to enhance your security posture, download the full eBook.
Trust A-LIGN for Security and Privacy Assessments
Check out the eBook Healthcare Cybersecurity & Compliance to go further in depth on the security threats and challenges facing the healthcare industry. You’ll find detailed information on the cybersecurity landscape and discover five important things not to do if you want your organization to stay in compliance.
A-LIGN is a leading provider of cybersecurity compliance and audit services. Our healthcare compliance solutions include HIPAA and HITRUST audits, as well as penetration tests to help discover and secure network vulnerabilities.
If you’re uncertain if your organization is currently HIPAA compliant, or if you need a guide to help achieve compliance, we review the safeguards in place and identify areas where you can enhance your information security program.
A-SCEND, A-LIGN's audit automation and compliance management software, can automate your HIPAA readiness assessment. It’s the only SaaS compliance management solution that includes live auditor assistance, making it the fastest and easiest way to complete your HIPAA audit.