From data theft to ransomware, the healthcare industry costs an average of more than $9.2 million per breach, according to IBM. Healthcare startups and healthcare organizations that use protected health information must assume they are potential targets for cybersecurity attacks and data breaches, and plan accordingly.Health IT Provider Ventech Solutions Published a white paper aimed at providing guidance to medtech startups and healthcare organizations on steps they can take to secure healthcare data infrastructure to support technology development and reduce cybersecurity threats to their businesses.
Ventech Solutions has developed a suite of tools designed to support healthcare organizations.Its cloud solutions help customers meet Regulatory requirements, best practices, and compliance with Healthcare Information Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPAA), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), HITRUST Accreditation, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance.
The report highlights the importance of achieving measurable compliance with required and effective security practices and guidance to help manage security risks associated with healthcare data and ensure that businesses can way to safely focus its core activities.
“Businesses that own and use the most sensitive data about individuals, protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII), have an important responsibility as stewards of this data to ensure that they protect the rights and privacy of individuals,” According to the report. “A HIPAA-compliant security program must address the integrity of the IT system infrastructure, including access control and monitoring procedures and technical elements that support the prevention, detection, and remediation of problems.”
Healthcare companies should integrate their development, safety and operations with environmental protection, the report recommends. PHI and PII privacy laws and regulations and security guidelines for specialized data need to be part of organizational culture.
It also advises companies to evaluate the markets they will enter (businesses, individuals, regions and jurisdictions). Depending on the jurisdiction, its rules may follow individuals such as European nationals whose data is contained in a US jurisdiction. Healthcare companies need to understand the rules, regulations and laws that apply to their business, the report said.
When it comes to a company’s system infrastructure, the report recommends implementing standards at all levels including development, testing and production.
“Whether the IT product is a product or developed software, every developer can use a consistent image, use the same services and commercial products, and use the same architecture to reduce risk.”
For more insights into navigating best practices for maintaining a secure environment for medical data, please complete the form below to download the white paper, Secure and operate the healthcare data environment.
photo: Leo Wolfert, Getty Images
