Rural healthcare systems are lifelines for residents of remote communities who need care. These facilities struggle with smaller budgets and limited resources compared to larger healthcare organizations, impacting efficiency, patient care, and even security.
How can you fill in the gaps? By recognizing shortfalls in key technology such as electronic health records (EHR) and reducing your vulnerability to cyberthreats.
Explore rural healthcare’s pressing technological challenges and see why cybersecurity should be a top priority. Let our cybersecurity program for rural hospitals FAQ set you on the right path!
Technology Challenges in Rural Healthcare
It seems like you’re hustling every day, doing everything possible to ensure quality patient care. But it takes a lot, especially if your rural healthcare organization is one of the thousands juggling worker shortages and insufficient services.
Navigating the day-to-day is enough without also having to fight with technology along the way, and yet it’s one of the top rural healthcare burdens. What can you do to lighten the load?
Close technology gaps.
Still tethered to on-premises software that hasn’t evolved with your needs? Rural healthcare technology often lags behind the broader industry, causing significant burnout. A poor EHR experience alone causes clinicians stress, frustration, and dissatisfaction as inefficient data entry takes away from patient care.
You have a golden opportunity to modernize, improve patient care, and boost operational efficiency. But remember: As you work to evolve your systems, cybersecurity jumps into the foreground. Secure patient information with an EHR solution that enables seamless and secure data exchange. Our cybersecurity program for rural hospitals FAQ can guide your journey.
Cybersecurity Program for Rural Hospitals FAQ
Care delivery is paramount, and because technology is so inextricably linked with it, cybersecurity must be a close second. Navigate this connection and your options to improve your rural hospital.
Why is cybersecurity important for rural healthcare facilities?
Given the abundance of personal health information (PHI) that funnels through it, healthcare is a prime target for cyberattacks. Rural facilities have the same—if not greater—risk as major healthcare organizations.
There are a few reasons for this. For one, the often outdated systems that rural facilities like yours rely on are more vulnerable to attack. Additionally, financial constraints can have negative consequences, such as difficulty attracting IT staff with the right expertise to maintain cybersecurity and trouble securing cybersecurity insurance coverage.
If you’re hit with a cyberattack, it could result in any combination of financial loss and service disruption. That’s a devastating blow to communities where healthcare options are already limited.
How do you identify cyberthreats in rural healthcare?
Cyberthreats can cripple your organization, with ransomware, data breaches, and phishing among the most common in rural healthcare. According to the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, ransomware attacks on rural hospitals increased drastically from 2016 to 2021, causing operational disruptions, appointment delays, cancellations, and ambulance diversions.
Imagine the potential damage if you suddenly couldn’t access your work systems. Ransomware attacks can infiltrate key tools such as EHRs, unleashing malware that locks you out until a ransom is paid. The attacks can be executed independently or in concert with phishing emails, which trick users into revealing sensitive information. But you can take a few steps to weed them out, such as implementing:
- Multifactor authentication
- Email filters
- Network access control
- Regular data backups and security patches
And don’t forget about the allure of all the PHI you handle. Data breaches enable hackers to access sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, financial information, and medical records, especially in rural healthcare facilities that don't have the same budget freedom and security as urban hospitals. If you’re impacted, you have options:
- Note when work systems aren’t working as expected.
- Report unencrypted devices with PHI (such as laptops) that have been lost or stolen.
Why is it crucial to protect EHRs from cyberattacks in healthcare?
The enormity of the patient data healthcare organizations handle makes it critical to protect your EHR from theft or alteration. You’re charged with safeguarding everything from Social Security numbers to diagnoses and treatment notes, and hackers could be waiting in the wings to prey upon it.
Cyberattacks can expose any or all of this data, eroding patient trust and even resulting in legal consequences. Take a few steps right now to stay protected:
- Use strong passwords.
- Install regular software updates.
- Implement firewalls to block unauthorized access.
What are the cybersecurity benefits of modern EHRs?
While today’s EHRs may attract hackers like a moth to a flame, they’re no match for the advanced technology. That’s because cloud-based EHR systems offer built-in cybersecurity protection, such as:
- Encryption
- Access control
- Secure backups
Upgrade your EHR system to safely centralize information and collaborate across facilities, sharing data to streamline patient care.
Improve Care Delivery and Security All in One
Flexing to accommodate new technology for your already limited rural hospital may feel impossible, but it doesn’t have to be! Implementing a modern and affordable EHR can enable the care delivery you strive for and ensure data safety and security.
Juno EHR supports rural healthcare as a solution built BY clinicians FOR clinicians. We’ve walked a mile in your shoes, so we understand the need to balance budgets and excellence in care delivery. We’ll help you reduce documentation burdens and burnout with a cloud-native solution designed to accommodate your workflows and security needs. Explore the potential of EHR personalization and how Juno EHR can help you support your organization.
