Here are some strategies for state and local chief information officers (CIOs) to maximize their resources and limited funding in order to advance their resilience efforts.
Changing the Focus:
Traditionally, the prevailing notion has been that cyber perfection lies in prevention. However, in our interconnected world, "prevention" is no longer an accurate measure of resilience. The cybersecurity field constantly evolves as new threats emerge, making it imperative that we redefine resilience. Rather than solely aiming to prevent breaches and attacks, the focus should shift towards safeguarding critical information and maintaining operations in the face of inevitable attacks and breaches.
In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, healthcare providers are increasingly adopting electronic health record (EHR) technology and connecting to health information exchanges. While this enhances the accessibility of patient health information (PHI) for healthcare professionals, it also exposes PHI to online security threats and potential HIPAA data breaches.
The convenience of easy access to PHI for healthcare providers also presents a corresponding risk, as it becomes more vulnerable to hackers and unauthorized users. Effectively monitoring and managing these risks is crucial for healthcare organizations, with risk assessments playing a pivotal role in maintaining HIPAA compliance. Threats such as mobile devices and ransomware underscore the need for healthcare providers to exercise prudence in their risk analyses. Even the slightest oversight or lapse in security could result in a HIPAA data breach, leading to a protracted and costly recovery process.
Secure Text Messaging (STM) offers healthcare providers a convenient and efficient means of real-time communication with colleagues. It enables the exchange of lab results, medication requests, and test results through a secure, encrypted messaging platform.
However, the successful implementation of STM goes beyond technology; it requires a strategic approach to encourage adoption among healthcare professionals. Hospitals can achieve this by implementing an internal marketing campaign, garnering support from the IT department, and soliciting positive feedback from users.
A HIMSS Mobile Technology Study, encompassing 238 respondents, underscores that healthcare organizations are rapidly adopting mobile technologies to engage patients within their ecosystems. Significantly, many respondents emphasized the need to fully harness the diverse capabilities offered by mobile technology and platforms. For instance, nearly 90% of respondents reported the use of mobile devices to engage patients within their organizations. Additionally, 47% of respondents identified implementing mobile services for information access as a top priority for the future.
How do you keep your communication flow during a cyber attack? The recent cyber attacks in hospitals are raising many questions about safety and security within many organizations.
The recent surge in cyber attacks targeting hospitals and other organizations has raised serious concerns about safety and security. According to CNN, the prevalence of ransomware is on the rise, with the FBI receiving 2,453 complaints about ransomware incidents in the past year alone, resulting in victims losing over $24 million dollars. Incident response teams are grappling with an alarming rate of 3-4 ransomware incidents per week, as reported by CSO Online. These incidents are not only more frequent but also more costly, often leaving organizations with no viable alternative but to consider paying the ransom.
Grace Hospital is dedicated to delivering top-notch clinical care to patients dealing with intricate health conditions. Their goal was to enhance clinicians' ability to concentrate on direct patient care, reduce alarm fatigue, and safeguard patients' personal health information. Additionally, the hospital aimed to streamline communications across its four locations to boost efficiency and centralize functions.
BYOD offers the potential to support fewer employee network devices while still enhancing productivity among employees and partners. A successful BYOD implementation leverages the organization's network and harnesses the full potential of consumer technology. When combined with cloud-based applications, the expansion of personal devices, and data center restructuring, BYOD and MAM present an opportunity for organizations to design the most effective network with mobility in mind. Properly managing BYOD and MAM is an essential component of any growth strategy. Organizations that implement formal programs and effective training can enjoy five significant benefits:
Enhanced Employee Productivity:
In the healthcare industry, efficient and secure communication isn’t a luxury. It's a necessity. Timely exchange of information among healthcare professionals, including nursing staff, doctors, and intake specialists plays a pivotal role in patient care. Furthermore, these communications must stay compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)—an ongoing goal for providers, given that the healthcare industry experiences an average of 58 data breaches per month.
Managing public events as a government body demands more than just organizational prowess. It requires comprehensive measures to safeguard sensitive data and communication channels. A proactive approach to communication management becomes non-negotiable as digital threats grow wider. In 2022 alone, the number of attacks targeting government agencies increased by 95% compared with the same period the previous year. Here’s where HipLink comes into play, acting as a reliable ally for governmental institutions and public safety.
Emergency Medical Services, Fire Departments, and Law Enforcement all face heightened demands for prompt, secure messaging in the digital age. Confidential and rapid communication is critical in shifting scenarios. Any delay in messaging or a breach in those communications can have serious implications. HipLink is the answer. The robust security features, best-in-class encryption, and reliable messaging from HipLink allow for seamless integration with essential systems and ensures every alert is delivered or is reported on if failed.
Public safety alerts improve disaster response in an increasingly digital world. Organizations use it to disseminate critical information about threats. These could range from tornado warnings to AMBER alerts for child abductions. However, alert systems only work effectively when the senders maintain trust. Our security protocols keep these systems safe, so bad actors don't misuse them.
In emergency situations, every second counts. As the first line of defense, first responders rely on timely and accurate information to make critical decisions. Often, these decisions can mean the difference between life and death for those in peril—which is why it’s so important to empower them with the tools they need to communicate clearly and efficiently. This is where integrated alert systems come in. Solutions like HipLink provide a range of tools and capabilities to support first responders in their mission to protect and serve the public.
Ransomware is malicious software that cybercriminals use to extort money from organizations. It encrypts the victim's files with a robust algorithm, making them inaccessible until a hacker grants access, presumably after paying the ransom. The criminals will generally demand payment via digital currencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. They often threaten to disclose confidential information or permanently delete critical files.
In our interconnected digital age, businesses increasingly depend on technology to communicate effectively with customers, employees, and partners. But what happens when an unexpected crisis strikes? These critical moments put a company’s communication infrastructure to the ultimate test. The ability to swiftly and effectively communicate during an emergency becomes a lifeline, not just an operational need.
Emergency personnel have many roles and responsibilities, often working in different locations. This makes it important for them to access various alerting media and devices that can reach them wherever they are and however, they prefer to communicate.
For example, some emergency personnel may need to be alerted through their personal cell phones, while others may need to be alerted through their work phones or dedicated alerting devices.
The urgent need for a comprehensive, reliable emergency communication system has never been more apparent. According to FEMA, the United States witnessed an alarming increase in federally declared emergencies and disasters, doubling from 59 in 2019 to 124 in 2020.
This trend underscores the necessity for advanced, rapid-response systems to ensure public safety. Enter the strategic collaboration between HipLink and FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), positioning HipLink as an IPAWS-compliant Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Alert Origination Tool.
How an organization responds in the first 24 hours of an emergency can make the difference between minor issues and full-blown catastrophes. It’s critical to have a thorough, integrated notification system in place to help employees understand when an incident occurs, the scope of the damage, and what steps to take to remediate the issue.
