Cybersecurity

The digital security of healthcare institutions and data is a growing concern, with an increasing number of cyberattacks each year against healthcare systems, which are seen as easy targets. Cyber attacks often use ransomware to target personal health information, patient data and medical devices to cut off access to the data until a ransom is payed to the hacker. Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, using malware, ransomware and spyware to attack outdated and vulnerable systems and software. Due to the interconnected nature of hospital IT systems today, the weakest link can be older web-enabled medical devices, including clinical and non-clinical systems. Employees are also a major target of attacks via malicious e-mails that prompt them to open attachments that then download malware onto the hospital's IT system.

Physicians used Snapchat to send patient information

Snapchat, an app that allows users to send images to each other, might be great for friends to trade funny photos—but it's not something for physicians to transmit patient information. But a recent report from DeepMind Health found physicians were using it to send patient scans to one another.

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Cost of data breaches in healthcare increased while other industries see 10% drop

Data breaches cost healthcare organizations an average of $380 per record, more than any other industry included in the 2017 Cost of Data Breach study from IBM Security and the Ponemon Institute.

Healthcare blockchain will be widely adopted within 5 years, execs say

A large majority (83 percent) of executives in life sciences and pharmaceutical companies believes there will be widespread adoption of healthcare blockchain tools within the next five years, according to a survey released by the Pistoia Alliance.

Petya cyber-attack reaches American pharmaceutical company, hospitals

A second largescale international cyberattack has landed on U.S. soil in recent weeks. The Petya ransomware attack, which first attacked computer systems in Ukraine, has spread to hospitals and pharmaceutical companies in United States.

Anthem reaches $115M settlement in data breach lawsuit

Health insurance giant Anthem has reached a settlement of $115 million after a class action lawsuit related to a 2015 data breach. The agreement—which addresses the breach of patient information including names, date of birth and social security numbers—is set to be the largest data breach settlement if approved by the court.

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Apps targeting those with dementia lack security for patient data

Health applications meant to assist those in need could possibly be harming users with less than satisfactory privacy. A study published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry presented researchers’ evaluations of safety standards in health apps meant to help patients with cognitive impairments.

Mississippi's Medicaid division notifies 5,000 of potential breach

The Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) has notified 5,220 individuals of a potential breach of protected health information. The exposure occurred when emails containing patient information were sent unencrypted.

HHS releases report on impact of WannaCry ransomware attack

The WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack was unprecedented in its size and scope. To respond, HHS has released a series of reports assisting organizations on how to respond to such attacks. In the latest report, HHS outlines the on-going impact of the WannaCry incident.

Around the web

Cardiovascular devices are more likely to be in a Class I recall than any other device type. The FDA's approval process appears to be at least partially responsible, though the agency is working to make some serious changes. We spoke to a researcher who has been tracking these data for years to learn more. 

Updated compensation data includes good news for multiple subspecialties. The new report also examines private equity's impact on employment models and how much male cardiologists earn compared to females.

When drugs are on the FDA’s shortage list, outsourcing facilities can produce their own compounded versions. When the FDA removed tirzepatide from that list with no warning, it created a considerable amount of chaos both behind the scenes and in pharmacies all over the country. 

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