Cybersecurity Risks with Telehealth
By Mel Kauffman
Alex Wirth joins SROA Soundboard, SROA's podcast for radiation oncology administrators to discuss cybersecurity risks that exist with the increased use of telehealth during the pandemic. Wirth is the chief security strategist at MedCrypt Inc. A San Diego based company that provides proactive security for healthcare technology.
The pandemic has caused many healthcare providers to quickly pivot to telehealth technology. One of the consequences that have occurred is that administrators and telehealth companies paid less attention to security and privacy than a normal roll-out of a telehealth system. Some mistakes include
- Secure network for doctor and patient
- HIPPA Compliance
- State laws (vary by sates)
It’s time to revisit the contract with your telehealth provider and check that they are following the right procedures for data security and patient privacy. If these aren’t included in the contract, reach out to your telehealth provider and see if they will sign a business agreement. Make sure they are willing to commit to HIPPA requirements, state laws, and how they handle data both patient and doctor applications. The key is to work with a telehealth provider that is protecting your data.
Tips for administrators to make sure their center's telehealth services are up to par:
- understand the full spectrum of the risk, and some of that is legal contractual compliance.
- have the right partners in the organization or outside of the organization to help navigate telehealth
- Ensure data encryption
- Work with your IT department, this is their area of expertise
Listen to the podcast to learn about:
- How providers manager data, specifically on the patent side
- How administrators can plan for a patient security breach
- Telehealth providers marketplace
We want to hear from you!
Do you think telehealth will stay as the "new normal" after the pandemic?
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