Technical Approaches to Keep Health Data Secure

The use of technology in the healthcare industry increases, so it is more important than ever to concentrate on securing patient data. We almost don’t notice the amount of medical information we disclose.

To our fitness trackers, to our phones, and to computer systems in hospitals. In this day and age, who would keep track of safe data privacy practices, right?

Well, it’s definitely not right. Healthcare information security and patient data privacy should be at the top of the minds of software owners. Everything related to sensitive data: stored or transmitted digitally should be protected by law.

But we all know law takes time to change and adjust to digital challenges. Not to mention that it’s different for regions, countries, and states. As a software developer, I’d like to offer a guide for privacy and security of health information to protect patient data privacy from unauthorized access, theft, and misuse.

Cybersecurity Measures for Healthtech

The healthcare industry is diverse and ranges from electronic health records to mHealth apps to medical devices. That’s why there isn’t one safe data privacy practice but a complex of them. The measures that are quite popular now are:

1. Virtualization, encryption, and authentication

   
   

2. Antivirus software and firewalls

   
   

3. Intrusion detection systems (IDS), malware detection systems

   
   

4. Cloud computing services/ blockchain technologies

   
   

5. Data encryption at rest and in transit

All of them are helpful when it comes to securing patient data. Let’s cover a few briefly and look at advantages and disadvantages.

Data Encryption

Encryption is the process of encoding data, so it can only be read by people who have permission to do so. Encryption protects data on devices such as laptops and smartphones by making it unreadable unless someone has the right key to decrypt it.

That’s one of the ways of ensuring only medical professionals can have access to patient data. HIPPA regulations do not require data encryption but recommend it. The benefit of such a method is that all patient records can be safely stored while authorized staff has the key for decryption.

The disadvantage is, ironically, the same key that can be lost or shared irresponsibly. That could lead to a data breach and expose sensitive information.

Cloud Computing for Health Systems

Most software nowadays is stored on the could. Such a decision is based on cost reduction and more convenient storage. Some healthcare providers are still hesitant to move patient care to digital spaces. Without strategic movement, that’s for sure unwise.

However, clouds can make the healthcare industry more efficient and less expensive. Everyone is used to keeping medical histories in old-fashioned journals. That should be a relic of the past now as patients are looking for more convenient solutions.

Like assessing their medical files from mobile devices. To do that, many medical providers should consider moving to the cloud.

If the safety in the cloud is not enough, there are also blockchain technologies. To preserve and exchange patient data, ledger technology is a reliable choice.

Blockchain in healthcare according to predictions will bring forward “the monetization of health data through health data marketplaces, the consumerization of healthcare, and the growth of metahealth.”

Blockchain-based systems and digital ledgers are the platforms to create protected healthcare applications. It’s not an emerging technology anymore, and with the right approach and trustable development team, it can be considered data protection best practice.

Intrusion Detective Systems (IDS)

No matter how proficient your software is, healthcare information security should be always considered vulnerable. Attackers might use malware to look for a vulnerability in your software or operating system.

If they get access to patient records, the chance that you’ll fight them is slim to none. That’s why there are Intrusion Detection Systems/Intrusion Prevent Systems (IDS/IPS). They are built to detect or block malware if your antivirus or firewall missed them.

It’s highly unlikely, but even if hackers get into the health systems, IDS will notify, and the specialist will be able to remove them. Healthcare professionals need to consider such systems for securing patient data or health information exchanges.

How to Prevent Data Breaches In Healthcare

In healthcare, there are many factors that make data breaches more likely. The use of unencrypted devices, lack of cyber-security training for staff, and poor security measures are the factors that can contribute to a breach.

In 2022, there were 11 reported healthcare data breaches of more than 1 million records and a further 14 data breaches of over 500,000 records. The majority of those breaches were hacking incidents.

How do we make sure the software of an organization is safe against data breaches, theft, etc.?

There is no single answer to that as there wouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all solution. Healthtech Projects require a joint strategy to be up-to-date with increasing attacks on patient data privacy. Healthcare5 projects should comply with data protection best practices, laws, and regulations.

At least, it should be HIPPA, NIST, and ISO standards. Research the ones relevant to your country. It will save you fines as most healthcare standards are mandatory.

And the second part of the strategy should be the best cybersecurity measures for your specific type of Healthtech project. Devices protections, passwords or two-factor authentication, data encryption, antivirus, IDS, third-party security software, and access controls.

The list is endless, to be honest. If you develop an app or plan to increase cybersecurity in healthcare apps, contact an experienced software development team for help.