In a recent article published by Healthcare IT Today, Andrea E. Hopkins, Juno EHR's Chief Information Security Officer, wrote about the important obligation healthcare organizations have to protect Personal Health Information (PHI). She asserted that the healthcare industry has become such a prime target because of the multitude of ways organizations are vulnerable to attack and because of the many ways PHI can be misused by bad actors.
A TOP DOWN APPROACH
One vulnerability Hopkins cited in particular was the C-suites' often lack of familiarity with the nature of cybersecurity. Healthcare executives are, after all, primarily focused on healthcare issues. This sometimes can lead to deprioritizing, cutting corners or tightening budgets in an area where trying to save in the short term can be extremely costly in the long term. It is the responsibility of the CISO, she argued, to work closely with information technology teams to understand their activities and support cybersecurity investments.
Hopkins went on to detail some of the most common forms of healthcare cyberattacks. She asserted that while malware and phishing pose significant concerns, ransomware is the biggest threat to healthcare organizations today. In addition to losing access to patients’ medical records during care, attackers can use PHI to create falsified medical records, or sell the data on the dark web, which can lead to lawsuits, loss of accreditation, and reputational damage.
THE CISO'S ROADMAP TO EFFECTIVE CYBERSECURITY
This all might seem daunting, but there is a clear way forward. Hopkins outlined four keys to effective cybersecurity implementation:
- Zero-trust—Your default position should be to assume no entity should be trusted. This helps protect from both malicious and negligent actions done by those inside and outside your organization by only allowing necessary users and devices access.
- Training—Conduct regular and ongoing education to ensure your staff can recognize threats and mitigate their potential danger. Most data breaches involve a human element. Make sure your staff doesn't contribute to the problem.
- Technology and systems—Create redundancies, conduct regular audits, and maintain up-to-date, cloud-based software. Make sure the technology you rely on meets or exceeds modern standards of compliance.
- Outsourcing—Recognize when your in-house staff is limited due to constraints related to capacity or expertise. This is especially pertinent for smaller organizations that can easily get spread to thin trying to manage multiple tasks or roles.
THE EHR THAT CHECKS EVERY BOX
Juno EHR was built in the modern era with the right technology to keep your organization and your patients safe from cyberattacks. Hopkins advised choosing an EHR that is HIPAA-, HITECH-, and FedRAMP-certified. Juno EHR carries all three certifications. She also recommends exploring your potential vendor’s audit process. Juno Health is a CMMI Level 3 Certified organization with SOC2 Type II 3PAO auditing annually.
Furthermore, Juno EHR is built in a highly secure, high availability, and fully audited cloud environment that spans availability zones for redundancy and is deployed using a multi-tiered architecture. It follows zero-trust principles, ensuring only explicitly authorized traffic is permitted, and at rest/in transit data is encrypted using FIPS compliant algorithms.
Cybersecurity is a major issue in healthcare today. In order to avoid becoming a victim of cyberattacks, it takes a concerted effort between your people, your processes, and your technology. A solution like Juno EHR that is modern, securely designed, compliant with current standards, and regularly audited should be your starting point. Ready to see how Juno EHR can be the cornerstone of your cybersecurity strategy? We'd love to give you a closer look.
