Monitor Data Flow
Cybercriminals will have a hard time accessing your patients’ documents if you monitor your office’s data flow. After equipping your storage systems with top-of-the-line network monitoring software, you will be immediately notified if a third party attempts to access your data. Additionally, with the help of the software’s security features, you can identify the intruder’s network ID and promptly make a report to the proper authorities. If data monitoring is something you’d like to outsource, a reliable online security company will gladly take on the task.
Use Data Encryption
Securely encrypted data is the enemy of hackers and other online lawbreakers. Data encryption refers to the practice of converting sensitive data to a series of unreadable algorithms to make it inaccessible to third parties. With the plethora of sensitive information found in a health care provider’s database, data encryption only seems logical safety-conscious physicians. Today, nearly every online security company offers data encryption services.
Inventory Storage Devices
Cybercriminals aren’t the only threat to your patients’ sensitive data. Faulty or defective storage devices can take an assortment of important documents with them if they suddenly bite the dust. To combat this threat, have tech experts from your hospital’s IT department run tests on your storage devices once a month. This will make it easier to identify which storage devices require maintenance and which ones need to be replaced.
Back Up Data
Frequently backing up your office’s data is another effective way to combat faulty storage devices, as well as system errors and computer viruses. Many online security companies provide clients with data backup services, so by enlisting the aid of one of these companies, you’ll ensure your patients’ documents aren’t lost if one of your storage devices unexpectedly breaks. Since most data protection services back up your data every few microseconds, the chances of you losing anything important are infinitesimal.
Regularly consulting with your storage devices’ manufacturers can help these companies improve their products – and ultimately, make your patients’ data more secure.
Device manufacturers particularly value input from physicians who work in large hospitals and oversee a diverse group of patients. Make a point of informing device manufacturers of any problems or potential security threats your staff has encountered with their products.
As NBC News reports, data breaches cost the health care industry over $5.6 billion annually. Protecting your patients’ confidential information in a world plagued by cybercrime may seem daunting, but a few security measures can go a long way in keeping crooks away from their data. At the end of the day, you — and your patients — deserve peace of mind.