Simply put, cybersecurity refers to how to best protect networks, computers, programs, and data alike from any sort of unauthorized access to any information on them. Cybersecurity risk can drive up costs, and directly impact an organization’s bottom line.

When managing a medical software system with personal information like health care data, one cannot understate the importance of cybersecurity, and its role in keeping this information protected.

The U.S. government assists in providing resources to all sectors that deal with such critical infrastructure. The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) recently put out the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, also known as the Cybersecurity Framework, which was a response to Executive Order 13636, Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.

The executive order states that, “it is the Policy of the United States to enhance the security and resilience of the Nation’s critical infrastructure and to maintain a cyber environment that encourages efficiency, innovation, and economic prosperity while promoting safety, security, business confidentiality, privacy, and civil liberties.” The resulting Framework that came out of this Executive Order set industry standards and best practices for organizations to help manage cybersecurity risks.

The Cybersecurity Framework was a collaboration between government and the private sector to address issues of cybersecurity without placing additional regulatory requirements on businesses. Cybersecurity can drive up costs and directly impact revenue towards any organization.

There is a large burden on our government to set forth regulation to protect organizations from these issues, though responsibility also lies internally as well. For anyone that deals with matters of cybersecurity, it is vital to stay educated on industry information pertaining the protection of their critical infrastructure systems. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology’s (ONC) provides an abundance of resources to assist your practice in adopting good security and risk management techniques.

Top 10 Tips For Cybersecurity in Healthcare

Below are the top ten tips for getting your practice on the right track towards protecting your electronic medical records.

• Establish a Security Culture
• Protect Mobile Devices
• Maintain Good Computer Habits
• Use a Firewall
• Install and Maintain Anti-Virus Software
• Plan for the Unexpected
• Control Access to Protected Health Information
• Use Strong Passwords and Change Them Regularly
• Limit Network Access
• Control Physical Access

If your practice has any questions on the security of your electronic medical records software provider, contact American Medical Software today!

• “Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.” National Institute of Standards and Technology, 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
• “Top 10 Tips for Cybersecurity in Health Care” – https://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals-newsroom/top-10-tips-cybersecurity-health-care
• Improving Critical Infrastucture Cybersecurity – https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/itl/preliminary-cybersecurity-framework.pdf