Mobile Tech Poses Security Threat to Health Data

A report by the Department of Homeland Security states that the healthcare industry’s increasing adoption of mobile technology can pose risks to health data.  The report, titled “Attack Surface: Healthcare and Public Health Sector” and issued by the department’s National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, notes that medical IT networks are often remotely accessible through wireless medical devices and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.

The DHS report recommends that healthcare organizations should utilize and regularly maintain firewalls and use authentication and encryption within communication channels, especially within wireless networks, with password policies in place to safeguard Protected Health Information (PHI).  Spyware, viruses, loss of medical records and/or test results, and patient data theft are among the security threats noted.

Wide Area Networking (WAN) and remote office solutions can be implemented professionally by Microwize Technology to facilitate a medical billing and/or Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system without compromising security.  Contact us for more details.