Health Systems Security
The health systems security is an important factor to consider to any health care providers or organization. The digitalization of patients’ health records has posed a danger to the health system security for most health institutions. This is because important information and records can end up being stolen. Health organization managers are advised to have tight system security that will prevent breaches and other security issues. Cyber security is an example of security threats that can result in loss of important health data and records. Therefore, healthcare organizations should have protocols that help prevent any data loss.
Other than a cyber threat, insider individuals can also pose a threat to the health systems security. Studies have proven that most of the breach incidents that take place in healthcare organizations are mostly caused by insiders. In this case, the insiders misuse patients’ important information and records ( Kutzin & Sparkes, 2016) . At times, employees end up stealing data or committing serious crimes that may end up affecting the health system security. Most individuals, who are involved in insider misuse cases, always target to have access to money. Health care providers should have effective systems that monitor any access to patients’ information
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The use of more mobile and technology devices may create risks to healthcare organizations. Nurses, health practitioners, and physicians tend to use mobile devices to communicate and share important information. Therefore, the health system security should be protected from individuals who might share important information to an outsider. To prevent outsiders from hacking and stealing important data, organizations should have systems that can detect any new server ( Gordon, Fairhall & Landman, 2017) . Scanning and detecting any server can help reduce the number of threats that may end up affecting the health system security of health organizations. A good example of a device that can be used to track any new servers is the NAC. The Network Access Control is a device that can help detect any threat and what role they play in the health system security of an organization.
Unintentional actions from individuals can also result in health security incidents. Misplacement of patients’ records is an example of unintentional actions that can compromise patients’ data or important information. Other unintentional actions can also be caused by old computers that are discarded with patients’ data. In other cases, health system security can be affected by systems that are considered to be underperforming. Effective skills from health practitioners can help prevent unintentional actions from happening. In other words, quality measures can help lessen any unintentional actions from occurring.
Effective implementation of HMIS can help improve the field of healthcare and organizations. Most hospitals tend to face a huge task in implementing the HMIS in their systems. This is because it tends to use more money and resources. The HMIS is known to improve the quality and care of any healthcare organization. The implementation and planning of HMIS can help prevent loss of important data and patients’ records. With the help of HMIS, important data and records can only be accessed by authorized people. Health systems security can also be improved through the introduction of security codes and passwords. In return, the codes will help individuals to have access to patients’ records and information.
Sustainability and efficiency of healthcare organizations can be improved through the strengthening of health system security. Healthcare organizations always benefit from health system security since they protect and prevent security issues from happening. Additionally, the systems also help health organizations in responding to emergencies that are related to security issues. Most organizations consider the implementation of HMIS to be a complex and difficult procedure. However, with the right procedure, the implementation of HMIS proves to help the health system security.
In other cases, the HMIS has been used to collect and transfer important data that can be used in effective decision making in organizations. The information and data are considered to be safe from any outsider or individuals who might want to breach or steal them from health organizations (Naimoli et al, 2017). The False Claims Act is considered to be a law that covers health organizations, which ensures that it protects their health system security. Through this Act, individuals or patients can file for any lawsuit if breaching has occurred. In another case, the Act can also protect health organizations when there is the occurrence of fraud that may expose important patients’ data.
Healthcare organizations need to have effective measures on how to protect their health system security from intruders. First, the organizations’ operating systems need to be upgraded and updated. This factor will help ensure the safety and protection o important data and records. Health supervisors should ensure that any device or information offered by patients’ is secured. In other words, any information offered should be protected and stored in effective devices that do not offer any chance for hackers.
The use of strong and long passwords can also help protect patient’s information and records. In this case, health managers should ensure that their employees use unique and strong passwords that are hard to be identified by the outsiders. Most people end up guessing passwords that can cause serious security breaches in health organizations. Therefore, individuals are advised to use complex passwords that prove to be hard for people to guess. Since cyber security proves to be among the biggest threat facing health system security, a regular checkup and information backup tend to be helpful. Organizations should train their employees to always backup important information on other media sources. This factor will help prevent any loss of important information to other public sources.
Health system security can also be protected through the use of authentication. The use of verification feature can prevent hackers from acquiring essential data from health organizations. At times, individuals are recommended not to open any zip files and attachments, since they might have a virus that may affect the health system. In this case, the health system security ends up being protected from any theft or breach that can expose patients’ data and records to the public.
In summary, many threats are facing the health system security of any healthcare organizations. Cyber security proves to be among the most significant risk faced by organizations in their health systems. Effective implementation of HMIS can help improve the health system security of organizations. In this case, the HMIS helps secure patients’ information and records. Other than securing important data, the system also offers access to authorized individuals, rather than the public. Losses of individual information and files have been prevented with the help and implementation of HMIS. Healthcare organizations have also updated their health system security, to prevent data from being stolen by other intruders. Information backup is also an essential factor that can prevent loss of essential data from health organizations. Use of unique passwords also proves to be a method that can prevent organizations from being hacked.
References
Gordon, W. J., Fairhall, A., & Landman, A. (2017). Threats to Information Security—Public Health Implications. New England Journal of Medicine , 377 (8), 707-709.
Kutzin, J., & Sparkes, S. P. (2016). Health systems strengthening, universal health coverage, health security and resilience. Bulletin of the World Health Organization , 94 (1), 2.
Naimoli, J. F., Saxena, S., Hatt, L. E., Yarrow, K. M., White, T. M., & Ifafore-Calfee, T. (2017). Health system strengthening: prospects and threats for its sustainability on the global health policy agenda. Health policy and planning , 33 (1), 85-98.
