In the medical field, privacy, security, and compliance are critical. One of the greatest benefits of cloud security and compliance for medical care is its ability to protect all involved: the patient, staff, and the entire practice. This article will discuss the importance of security and compliance and how to implement it into a medical care business.
What Is Compliance in Medical Care?
In the medical field, there are professional standards that must be met and preferably exceeded. Those standards include legalities and ethical practices, which summarize compliance. Protection, prevention, and ad resolution is easily met when compliance standards are in place.
Compliance includes contracts, standards for research, billing, patient care, reimbursement, HIPAA privacy, and all security.
What Is Security in Medical Care?
In medical care, security refers to privacy of health information. Security used to look like stacks of file cabinets with locks on them to secure patient privacy. Today, data is secured online, which leads to new concerns regarding cybersecurity.
Medical professionals are held to high standards to maintain security in the medical field. The penalties are serious when that security is breached.
Advantages of Medical Compliance
Compliance isn’t an option — it’s a necessity and legally required. As mentioned, there are several important reasons a medical practice must adhere to the compliance standards. There are also benefits for those in the medical compliance field, as well as for the patients when compliance is top priority. Let’s look at what those benefits are:
An Excellent Career Choice
Working in the compliance industry for medical care is a lucrative career. Well-versed compliance experts are sought after and needed to keep a facility running. The medical staff in a practice has little time to learn and understand every detail or compliance update. A healthcare compliance officer takes care of that.
Healthcare compliance officers save a medical practice millions of dollars, thanks to their knowledge and ability to put compliance into place. They also protect patients as compliance focuses on confidentiality and security.
Patients Are Better Served and Cared For
Thanks to healthcare compliance officers, patients are better cared for at a medical practice. When compliance is a top priority, health records are secured, data security is in place, and patient confidentiality is ensured.
Advantages of Medical Security
There are several advantages to medical security, specifically cybersecurity. In today’s medical world, patient information and all medical data are stored online. Technology is convenient and has made many things easier. Still, data is easily accessed if not well protected. That’s where cybersecurity comes in. Let’s look at the many advantages of cybersecurity:
Fewer Errors
The digitalization of healthcare records has drastically reduced the number of errors in the medical field. Cybersecurity is essential to protect those records. If a cyberattack were to happen, doctors couldn’t properly treat or diagnose patients. This would be an incredible loss of time and money, and possibly the end of the entire medical practice.
Protection for Patients
Protecting patients is everything in a medical practice. In the end, when patients are protected, it leads to the protection of the doctors, nurses, and the entire medical staff. Security is needed to protect patients. Once it’s in place and monitored closely, the medical practice is assured that patients’ information is confidential and safe.
HIPPA
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. When patients enter a medical facility for care, they sign a HIPAA form. This form states that none of their information will be shared unless they consent to it.
HIPAA allows for quality care and the transfer of information, while keeping a patient’s privacy intact and allowing them to have control over their own information.
As with all other areas of security, when a medical practice offers the HIPAA agreement (which they must, according to compliance laws), they are promising that all information is safe and secure and the patient is protected.
Protecting Medical Devices
Technology hasn’t only made its way to medical data and records, but it’s also readily available and widely used in medical devices. A security breach in these devices would be extremely detrimental to a practice and possibly life threatening to patients.
Understanding Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity, also known as technology security or computer security, protects the computer’s system and networks from hackers, damages to hardware and software, data loss, disclosure of private information, and from misdirection or disruption of services.
How To Obtain Cybersecurity
There are several steps and options for cybersecurity. Let’s look at what those are:
Software
Keep software up to date to ensure security. Enable automatic updates when possible. Out of date software is prone to hackers because they know where the vulnerabilities are.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software protects the system from malicious threats. A good antivirus software detects and removes malware and other threats. It’s not 100% foolproof but antivirus software is a good first step toward protection.
Strong Passwords
A strong password makes it difficult for hackers to guess what the password is. Use long passwords that’re at least 16 characters. Have a different password for each system for optimal protection. Change passwords often.
MFA
Multifactor authentication verifies identities for the sake of protecting a system. Attackers are known for taking advantage of weak authentication processes. Make yours strong.
Firewall Protection
Firewalls protect a system by detecting suspicious activity before it enters. Keep firewalls up to date.
Security and Compliance Services
In medical care, the best source for security is to use a security and compliance service. Services such as Microsoft Azure Security and Compliance offer complete compliance solutions and protection from breach events. Everything is taken care of, from HIPAA to protection from hackers.
Security and compliance services run an assessment and come up with a plan that suits the service. The greatest advantage of the security and compliance service is the around the clock ability to reach out when needed.
As we understand the many benefits of cloud security and compliance for medical care, it’s easy to see why it’s so necessary, and it’s reassuring to know security is possible.
At Atmosera, our Microsoft Azure security and Compliance is available 24 hour a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Hackers and viruses don’t take a break after work hours, and your security service shouldn’t either. Contact Atmosera and let’s discuss how we can better equip your medical practice with a secure and compliant system.
