Securely Protecting Medical Records Data

Patient privacy is one of the biggest commitments that medical providers make to their patients. When you provide medical services, you have to hold a patient’s information in your confidence. No patient wants their medical conditions, social security information, insurance coverage, and treatment information on view for others to see.

However, the ways physicians store and share information have changed drastically, even in the last couple of years. The migration of medical information into the digital sphere has become commonplace in most medical practices.

Digital record-keeping certainly has its perks. It allows multiple physicians to access a comprehensive medical record in multiple places, all at once. Digital medical records have helped create a more comprehensive picture of a patient’s needs.

However, this comprehensive data is only safe when it is in the hands of the correct people—the physician or the patient. If anyone else accesses your medical records, it could pose a threat to the patient’s privacy.

Cyber Liability Insurance

Medical records become much less secure when stored as data. Computer systems, drives and web networks are never totally unbreakable. Even the tightest security networks can’t guarantee protection to patient records. Cyber thieves come up with new ways to hack data systems every day. If they can successfully breach a medical records system, they could easily commit identity theft using information.

If cyber thieves breach your data networks, you have to notify your patients of these threats to their privacy. Cyber liability insurance can help you in these cases. It can help you provide patients with resources to monitor their identity security. It can also help you institute reforms to better secure your data in future.

However, cyber liability insurance won’t protect you if you recklessly store your data. Insurance can likely only help you in cases of unavoidable and unforeseeable accidents. So that you reduce your chances of ever having to claim a cyber liability incident, take steps now to protect your data.

• When searching for medical records management systems, only buy systems that have reputable development backgrounds. Many record management system programs have guaranteed IT and crisis management support. Use these provisions as safeguards.
• Ensure that your services provide proper encryption methods to help scramble data out of a linear form.
• Develop a proper backup system that makes copies of data. That way, you can reduce the chances of total data loss.
• Work with a reputable cybersecurity firm to install top of the line virus catchers, spam filters, and firewalls.
• Employ a multi-step process to access patient data. Medical employees must have verification to access these systems. Also ensure that you properly verify a patient’s identity before giving out record information.
• Medical professionals must know how to securely access patient data. Properly train your staff to access networks so that they don’t expose records to unforeseeable risks.

Get in touch with us today to get New York cyber liability coverage for your medical practice. We can help you get a policy that meets your needs. Call us at 800.462.3401 for more information.