As a medical office manager, you have a lot of duties to remember.
You’re responsible for keeping the office running smoothly and ensuring that all patients receive the best care possible. But cybersecurity and government regulations for patient data security are probably not at the top of your list of priorities. This can be a huge mistake, as these regulations are becoming more and more important in today’s world. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the typical medical office manager duties that are overlooked with cybersecurity. We’ll also explain why it can be hard working with IT companies in a small medical office.
You may not think cybersecurity is something you need to worry about, but it definitely should be.
With more than 60% of companies suffering data breaches in the past year – and only 50% having any sort of cybersecurity program at all – there’s plenty for medical office managers to consider when it comes time for their annual review on cybersecurity policies. Risk Based Security released its 2021 data breach and vulnerability reports on August 4.
“Unfortunately, it’s not surprising to see the Healthcare sector once again in the top position as the most breached economic sector,” the report notes. “Healthcare has been at or near the top of the chart since at least 2017.”
Symantec’s 2018 Internet Security Threat Report found that 43% of data breaches occur in the healthcare industry, making it the most targeted sector. So what can you do to make sure your office is safe?
One thing you should definitely be doing is encrypting patient data. This will help protect your patients’ sensitive information from being stolen by hackers or other cyber criminals.
A cybersecurity analysis/audit can also help protect against government regulations for patient data security.
The healthcare industry must comply with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements, which are designed to keep patient health records private and make sure only authorized individuals have access to them. These requirements include encrypting data both at rest and in transit, as well as implementing access controls so that only specific employees can view patient files.
Why a cybersecurity plan is important for medical office managers:
Cybersecurity and government regulations for patient data security such as HIPAA compliance are becoming more common every day, but many organizations still do not have a cybersecurity program in place. It’s important to have cybersecurity protocols in any industry where sensitive information is stored, but especially so for healthcare because of how much patient data needs protection from hackers and other cyber criminals.
A cybersecurity program can help protect your medical office against ransomware attacks, phishing schemes (where an attacker tricks someone into giving up personal details like passwords or credit card numbers), and other malicious activities.
Working with IT companies in a small medical office:
It can be hard working with IT companies in a small medical office. Just understanding their language can lead to frustration. Many times, these companies are too busy to help out smaller businesses or they don’t have the resources to do so. In addition, many of them charge by the hour which can add up quickly if you’re not careful.
It’s important for medical offices to have cybersecurity programs in place because of how much patient data needs protection from hackers and other cyber criminals, but many organizations still do not have a cybersecurity program in place. It shouldn’t be difficult or expensive either! You just need an experienced cybersecurity firm that understands the unique challenges facing small businesses like yours – and can help create cybersecurity plans and protocols tailored specifically for your needs.
Many cybersecurity programs will protect against ransomware attacks, phishing schemes (where an attacker tricks someone into giving up personal details such as passwords or credit card numbers), but they may not be enough when it comes to protecting patient data.
HIPAA compliance is a must for any healthcare organization, and this includes dental offices.
A cybersecurity analysis or audit can help make sure your office is compliant with all government regulations for patient data security. This will include encrypting data both at rest and in transit, as well as implementing access controls so that only specific employees can view patient files.
HIPAA compliance is a must for any healthcare organization, and this includes dental offices. A cybersecurity audit can help make sure your office is compliant with all government regulations for patient data security. This will include encrypting data both at rest and in transit, as well as implementing access controls so that only specific employees can view patient files.
CurranData.com – 800-628-9085 – robert@currandata.com
