Recent developments in technology have had an outstandingly positive influence on the healthcare industry, to be specific, and the larger scientific realm as a whole. We owe a great deal to modern features like electronic health records, for instance; where data and customer information can be stored on massive databases and shared electronically with ease. From reducing organizational costs to keeping records of millions of patients seamlessly, these healthcare features have helped streamline a lot of complex independent services into one tightly knit framework.

The advantages of technology based solutions are there for everyone to see. However, as with all things related to technology, there are a few drawbacks as well. This inter-connectedness and ‘always-online’ based system provides an opportunity for mischief. And there are plenty of possibilities where these technology-based systems can be vulnerable if they’re not addressed.Cybersecurity is a subject that cannot be ignored by healthcare professionals. Every day, there’s news about organizations suffering from data breaches thanks to their insufficient and unsecured data networks.

Cybersecurity in healthcare IT

While cyber attacks are a real security threat, precautionary measures and having systems in place for rapid response in case of an active attack are critical if you want to minimize damage to your organization.

Here are a few suggestions on how you should manage Cybersecurity in healthcare industry.Be prepared – Always make a plan

Every organization, be it small or large, must have a detailed plan in writing for all of its individual programs and services, their core structures, the people involved and the initial steps needed to be carried out in case of a data breach. No organization should be an exception. The level of detail and complexity of such ‘rescue programs’ will, of course, vary from company to company and its size.

For example, a small business with a limited customer-base can have its IT department work on the security of its network and data with a possibility of hiring a security consultant. On the hand, a large organization, with a complex network system and millions of customer data that is both sensitive and private, will have to have a thorough set of policies, procedures, personnel and systems in place.

Run your system in a test environment

We’ve talked about policies, procedures and governance – but what do we mean by that exactly?

Some of the questions that every organization should ask itself in order to enhance its Cybersecurity policy are:

Do we really need a step-by-step detailed emergency response plan?
How comprehensive should our privacy measures be?
How likely are we to invest in a third-party Cybersecurity service?

This is where you will need a all-inclusive risk analysis, IT security consultancy and strong industry knowledge experts to give you a clearer picture.

Need cybersecurity and privacy consulting? Virtelligence’s expert consultants are able to work alongside your IT department to implement a security strategy that protects your organization from a variety of vulnerabilities. Contact us today.

Once your organization’s incidence response plan is developed, a real-time attack scenario has to be carried to test the strength of the policies and procedures in place. Such scenarios allow an organization to figure out weak-spots in their systems and to rectify before any real damage can be done. Always be vary – Keep improving your security systemsOne of the major reasons why organizations fall prey to cyber attacks is because they stop being vigilant over time. By that, we mean such organizations over time tend to think their current security measures in place are sufficient enough. It is understandable that organizations would think this way – but in today’s ever-changing world, you can never be too cautious. Particularly, when it comes to dealing with private customer information that in the wrong hands can do massive damage to your organization, as well as the healthcare industry as a whole. The only way to be safe is to understand the threat and keep taking steps to ensure continued security improvements in your organization – the impact of which will be robust healthcare services with a strong security system able to tackle even the most complex threats. Looking to protect your organization from modern security threats? Virtelligence can help you with that. As a team, we work to establish a complete security system that will help detect, prioritize, rectify, and help prevent security breaches. To find out more information about how Virtelligence can help secure your business, contact us today.