WEDI issues primer for cybersecurity
With healthcare-related cyberattacks increasing in frequency and scope, the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange has released a primer offering advice for healthcare organizations to fight back.
Approximately 37 million healthcare records were compromised in data breaches between 2010 and 2014, according to WEDI, and more than 99 million healthcare records have been exposed in 93 separate data breaches that occurred during the first four months of 2015.
The primer, called "Perspectives on Cybersecurity in Healthcare," identified three key areas of cybersecurity:
- The anatomy of a cyberattack;
- Constructing a culture of prevention against cyberattacks; and
- The lifecycle of cyberattacks and defense.
In the primer, WEDI suggested businesses implement strong cyber-defense strategies that include preparing for and monitor attacks and how to recover from data breaches.
WEDI also recommended organizations use existing cybersecurity frameworks as guidelines for defense plans, including the Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology and offerings from the International Organization for Standardization and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Access the complete primer.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.