There's no denying that the digital revolution has spawned an age of convenience, but with that convenience comes a growing concern for the security of consumer information.
This rings especially true for healthcare organizations that are responsible for mountains of patient information.
A stolen credit card can be cancelled, but a medical record contains significantly more rich data and information about a person. These records contain family information, financial information, and of course, a medical history. "A person's health information is worth 15 to 20 times more than financial information," said Robert Wah, MD, President-elect of the American Medical Association and Chief Medical Officer for CSC, a health IT Company in Falls Church, VA.
Lisa Gallagher, Head of Privacy and Security at HIMSS agrees. "It's easier for identity theft to take place from a medical record that's not secure than it is from a financial record because they tend to be locked down a little better. Hackers and other perpetrators have moved to trying to get it from the medical record."
All healthcare organizations, including urgent care centers, must educate themselves about health IT security so they can better protect their patients. Read more