Embracing change to manage cost and risk in the extended healthcare ecosystem

The healthcare industry--including all partners, suppliers and advisors--is being inundated with new challenges. Meeting the expectations of digitally aware consumers, improving patient care, adopting new medical devices and technologies, and complying with evolving requirements all demand the protection of patient privacy. This paper explores the security challenges that come with these new demands, and the need for new and creative ways to address health cybersecurity and privacy, both inside and outside of the data center. 

This is the second paper in a series. The first paper, Healthcare Data Security: Part I, The Problem with the Future is the Past, offers a prescription for improving healthcare data security based on inventorying “protected” data items, conducting a businessoriented risk assessment and developing an iterative action plan.

Healthcare enterprises must address cybersecurity both in and out of the data center. Redeveloping policies and procedures to be security and privacy focused, redefining supplier agreements, and creating an environment where everyone is focused on looking out for protecting private patient information is a good start. Within the data center and in applications, the future will require creating an environment that facilitates dependable and efficient authentication, safe and secure information transfer supporting privacy preservation, provides for collaboration and communication between providers and patients, and expands the core data center services with effective privacy and security monitoring services that widen both the covered geography and the schedule of vigilance.

To learn more, contact us or download the paper.