In this rapidly advancing technological world, an increasing number of healthcare providers are incorporating electronic health record (EHR) technology. In addition, they are also connecting to health information exchanges more frequently, making patient health information (PHI) more susceptible to online security threats as well as possible HIPAA data breaches.
The convenience of PHI being more accessible to providers also carries the risk of being more accessible to hackers and unauthorized users. Effectively monitoring and managing potential risk is imperative for a healthcare organization. Risk assessments play a key role in staying HIPAA compliant. Mobile devices and ransomware threats are examples of why healthcare providers need to be prudent in their risk analyses. The slightest oversight or lapse could lead to a HIPAA data breach as well as a lengthy, expensive recovery course.
Implementation of Secure Text Messaging (STM) affords healthcare providers a convenient, efficient method to communicate with colleagues in real time. Lab results, medication requests, and test results can all be sent and received via a secure, encrypted text messaging app.
However, implementation alone does not ensure usage of the STM app. Many healthcare providers may be skeptical of the new changes to the existing system. In order to augment adaptation, hospitals need to be driven and encouraging in their efforts to promote usage of the app. An internal marketing campaign, support from the IT department, and positive feedback from users are some ways this can be done.
Not too long ago, the use of mobile devices inside organizations was a foreign and often heavily debated concept. The rapid increase of BYOD integrations and Mobile Application Management (MAM) has become an evolving phenomenon with many personal mobile devices present in the work place.
BYOD offers the capability to support fewer employee network devices, yet still unleashes productivity amid employees and partners. A successful BYOD implementation leverages the organization’s network and gets the best out of consumer technology. In combination with cloud-based applications, personal device expansion, and data center reorganization, BYOD and MAM provide an opportunity for organizations to build the best network design with mobility in mind. Managing BYOD and MAM properly is an integral part of any growth strategy. Organizations that incorporate formal programs and successful training will reap five crucial benefits:
Mobile health technology is transforming the entire healthcare system. The combination of innovative data analytics and mobile technologies are simplifying the methods used by healthcare professionals from the patient care experience to healthcare administration.
Healthcare providers faced obstacles with mobile health technology lacking essential protective measures as they relate to shared patient information, ensuring conformity of mobile devices with EMRs, and concluding which apps were the safest and most effective. Today, the efficacy of mobile health technology has proven successful. With access to a fully optimized, real-time, reliable mobile health app, healthcare providers have immediate access to vital information and the ability to share it with other pertinent team members.
On April 29th, 2016, the Joint Commission announced its new position on patient care through text messaging. This is a tremendous step forward in healthcare communication and will improve many aspects of patient care. At this time, physicians or licensed independent practitioners are able to text orders for patient care, treatment, services to the hospital, or other health care settings if they are using a secure text messaging platform.
The initial stance was that text messaging was not considered safe enough to use in healthcare settings due to unsecured text messages being transmitted via personal mobile phones.
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.
CNN just recently reported that Ransomware is growing and that “the FBI received 2,453 complaints about Ransomware hold-ups last year, costing the victims more than $24 million dollars”. CSO Online reported that incident response teams are dealing with 3-4 Ransomware incidents weekly. They also report that ransom requests have increased considerably and that in many cases the cost of recovery is so extreme that the only valid option is to consider payment.
If you have never been to a drag racing event, you are missing the time of your life. You get to walk through the pits and talk to the drivers and mechanics while they are preparing for the race. This is reality at its best. The event itself is an open circus venue with food and beverage vendors surrounding the pit area. It’s a great place to take the whole family!
HipLink is proud to announce that AT&T has accepted the company into its prestigious Global Supplier Diversity Program, which supports our combined commitment to promoting ongoing change.
In 1947, two Wichita, Kansas business partners opened a small auto glass shop. Forty-five years later, the single shop had expanded into a major corporation, with over 1 million windshields manufactured. Today, Safelite Group, Inc. employs almost 6,000 people around the U.S. and operates three major business units: automotive glass fulfillment services, windshield manufacturing, and fleet and insurance claims management services.
