With over 328 million terabytes of data generated daily, cyber threats are rising as criminals seek to exploit this valuable resource. Today, secure healthcare information management is more than necessary—it’s a priority for every organization.
To protect patient data and comply with regulations like HIPAA's security rule, healthcare organizations must adopt strong security strategies. Professionals in healthcare information systems are fundamental in building and maintaining secure data management programs. With the necessary skills and qualifications, they contribute to safeguarding sensitive patient information and supporting delivering high-quality healthcare services.
According to a study on the Requirements of Health Data Management Systems for Biomedical Care and Research, “Health data management systems, in particular, have undergone a disruptive transformation over the years, evolving from paper to computer, web, cloud, IoT, big data analytics, and now blockchain.”
Healthcare organizations that fail to prioritize information security risks face severe consequences. A breach or non-compliance with data security regulations can result in fines and damage to a facility's reputation. Cybercriminals are aware of the valuable data healthcare providers possess, making these organizations prime targets. Therefore, healthcare providers must invest in security measures to protect patient data and avoid costly losses.
Read also: Understanding HIPAA violations and breaches
The Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPAA) security rule is a piece of legislation that shapes the way healthcare providers store, share, and use patient information. The security rule focuses on protecting sensitive data and requires security strategies that cover all potential threats to patient information.
Administrative safeguards are a set of policies, procedures, and practices that organizations can implement to ensure the overall security of their systems. These safeguards specifically maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.
Physical safeguards are a set of measures implemented to protect an organization's physical infrastructure and assets, including the facilities, equipment, and storage areas where sensitive information is stored or processed. These safeguards prevent unauthorized access, theft, damage, or loss of physical assets that could compromise the security data.
Technical safeguards involve using technology-based measures to control access, encrypt data, monitor activities, prevent unauthorized changes, and respond to security incidents. These measures help ensure the security and protection of electronic information.
Policies and procedures related to information management and security must be written and readily available to authorized parties. Regular reviews of security plans and procedures are necessary to keep protective measures up-to-date.
Read more: What are administrative, physical, and technical safeguards?
Creating an effective healthcare data management and protection policy requires a multi-faceted approach. Healthcare organizations must address threats from all angles, including hackers, internal risks, and human error. Protecting endpoints, email accounts, networks, and medical devices is necessary for maintaining data security. A weakness in any area can result in data loss, stressing the need for an all-rounded security strategy.
Information management in healthcare involves the processes and systems used to collect, store, organize, and use patient information. This includes handling electronic health records (EHRs), patient data, and medical records. Effective information management is necessary for HIPAA compliance as it ensures that electronic protected health information (ePHI) is properly safeguarded, maintained, and accessed following HIPAA’s privacy and security regulations.
Effective data management enhances the security of patient information by implementing strong policies and practices for data storage, access, and protection. Proper information management ensures that ePHI is encrypted, access is restricted to authorized personnel, and data integrity is maintained. These practices help prevent unauthorized access, and data breaches, and ensure that healthcare organizations meet HIPAA compliance requirements.
See also: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide