Preventing Healthcare Breaches
A recent Modern Healthcare article highlighted the latest healthcare breach data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. The article highlights email as the top source of healthcare breaches. In 2017 the number of email breaches doubled and it’s projected to get worse as more staff members rely on insecure email to send PHI.
This matches the data we gathered in a survey we recently commissioned. The respondents showed that for healthcare workers today, convenience overrules security. Despite stringent regulations and high penalties, healthcare workers knowingly violate data security policies. In fact, 87% of employees use email to send sensitive information, knowing it isn’t secure. When it comes to transferring data, documents, or information, 59% say they do whatever is easiest, with 64% saying email is the easiest tool. Although, almost 60% of data shared through email is regulated and patient data, the good news is employees are willing to adapt if companies make a few simple adjustments to their cybersecurity strategies. The key to safeguarding your company’s and patients’ confidential data is providing employees with simple, but secure tools that won’t interfere with daily productivity.
Key Takeaways
- Email is the top source of healthcare breaches today
- A Biscom commissioned survey shows that convenience overrules security for healthcare workers
- The key to employee secure tool adoption is providing simple, but secure tools that won’t interfere with daily productivity