Report Examines Privacy, Security Risks in Patient Health Data

A new report, "Privacy and Security in Health Care: A Fresh Look," released by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, identifies the risks associated with privacy and security breaches in healthcare. The report offers guidance to help minimize potential privacy and security threats as health reform drives increased exchange of online health information.

"As the healthcare industry transitions to widespread adoption of electronic health records, clinical data warehousing, home monitoring and remote medicine, there may be greater probability of data breaches, potentially resulting in data fraud and medical identity theft," said Paul Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. "Medical fraud is a serious issue, and 67 percent of consumers we polled believe fraud has a major influence on driving up the overall cost of healthcare."

The Deloitte report identifies some of the reasons why preparedness for privacy and security risk is inadequate at some health care organizations, including lack of internal resources (human resources and capital); lack of internal control over patient information; lack of upper management support; outdated policies and procedures or non-adherence to existing ones; and inadequate personnel training.

"The cost of a security breach can be damaging not only to a company's bottom line, but also to the reputation of its brand," added Russ Rudish, Deloitte’s vice chairman.  "As healthcare organizations adopt new technologies that leverage health information, it is also imperative that they conduct a senior management-led, board-approved audit of privacy and security risk, and plan to make enhancements in support of current policies, rules and regulations."

Privacy and security regulations have historically focused on internal security processes, however in the new normal, culpability has been expanded to downstream entities. As healthcare delivery transitions to performance-based compensation, increased transparency, and increased use of electronic health records (EHRs) and personal health records (PHRs), new privacy and security rules, regulations, laws and standards will be added in each sector. To address the challenge of protecting against potential privacy and security breaches in the new era of health reform, Deloitte's report outlines a basic approach for healthcare industry stakeholders to assess their preparedness across three key areas:

  • Risk Management – Help identify and assess data security risks to develop appropriate security controls to mitigate or avoid risk.  This allows healthcare organizations to make informed decisions on how to allocate security resources to improve data protection.
  • Security and Privacy Program – Develop and implement policies, procedures and training needs to mitigate or avoid risk. This helps create a baseline for standards to secure handling of sensitive patient information and awareness of privacy and security procedures across the organization.
  • Compliance – Verify organization conformance to its policies and standards. This helps reduce organizational risk; creates customer trust and confidence in an organization's protection of personal health information; and reduces potential for financial penalties due to reasonable cause or willful neglect.

 Reflecting the importance of safeguarding consumers' personal health information, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions 2010 Consumer Survey found that while more than half (57 percent) of consumers want access to an online PHR connected to their doctor's office, one-third (33 percent) are concerned about privacy and security of an online PHR.

"Healthcare industry stakeholders should act now to prevent compromising sensitive patient data, preserve brand value and avoid substantial financial penalties for violations," concluded Keckley. "By building in technology to prevent, monitor and remedy data breaches and setting aside operating funds to implement safeguards, the health care industry can confront and contain this growing challenge while also addressing the needs of their patients to help improve the quality of care."

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”