To provide effective care, healthcare organisations require technology solutions that supply critical information directly at the point of need, empower patients with continuous online access to medical information through secure Web portals, and link outlets to create a patient-centric environment.
Yet with the collaborative use of this type of information comes a significant risk of jeopardising confidentiality. Security concerns for healthcare organisations include the loss of confidential information in patient records, financial damage, compromised patient care, and loss of reputation.
The enforcement of regulations has caused healthcare organisations to be more concerned about defending sensitive information, where previously it may have been lost or stolen because companies were unprepared for specific threats, or unaware of security weaknesses in their organisation. To improve patient safety and privacy, healthcare providers can reduce records errors through technology that supports regulatory compliance.
“Healthcare providers need to be protected from identity theft and data leakage of sensitive patient records,” said Justin Doo, regional director, Trend Micro Middle East and Africa. “Confidential data and customer identities have to be protected across multiple network channels, in line with privacy regulations, and all incoming/outgoing mails and attachments have to be scanned to maintain data integrity. The healthcare market is poised for major growth, and managers are in a position to take control of their IT strategies and to have a significant impact on their organisations.”
With the increase in mobile devices and wireless technology, healthcare organisations also need to guard against the physical loss of devices containing healthcare information. Systems and procedures have to be standardized to ensure interoperability between healthcare systems in various hospitals and it is absolutely critical that a comprehensive security framework of integrated solutions that continuously monitor the network at multiple layers for spyware, spam, viruses, phishing and content and URL filtering is in place.
“To protect critical data, infrastructure, brands and money, we advise healthcare providers to rethink how they protect their operations, processes and governance structures,” adds Doo.
About Trend Micro, Inc
Trend Micro Incorporated is a pioneer in secure content and threat management. Founded in 1988, Trend Micro provides individuals and organizations of all sizes with award-winning security software, hardware and services. With headquarters in Tokyo and operations in more than 30 countries, Trend Micro solutions are sold through corporate and value-added resellers and service providers worldwide. For additional information and evaluation copies of Trend Micro products and services, visit our Web site at www.trendmicro.com.
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