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 Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, using malware, ransomware and spyware to attack outdated and vulnerable systems and software.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.

Lack of security in medical devices, records pose threats to patients

Hacking has made its way into the heart of healthcare, with vulnerabilities in many devices essential to patients. Following a string of hacked medical devices, including pacemakers and insulin pumps, and compromised health data, cyber security is a topic more prevalent than ever for those in healthcare.

HHS releases guide on reporting, monitoring cyber security

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a letter regarding cyber threats faced by healthcare organizations, including reporting and monitoring practices.

Henry Ford, VisionIT offer mobile communication to clinicians

Henry Ford Health System and VisionIT have partnered to offer CareTrail, a mobile application, to improve communication between clinicians. The platform provides clinicians with a tool that offers on-call scheduling, availability updates and additional workflow optimizations.

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HIMSS 2017: Boehner & Rendell lead list of big-name keynote speakers

It’s time once again for HIMSS to host hospital management engineers, administrators and other industry professionals at its 2017 annual meeting.  HIMSS17—which runs Feb. 19-23 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando—is scheduled to include a variety of networking events and educational sessions, headlined by four highly acclaimed keynote speakers. 

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HIMSS 2017: How one hospital prepared for, and survived, a ‘hacktivist’ cyberattack

Sometimes, hackers aren’t motivated by money when they go after patient records. Luckily for hospitals and health systems, even so-called “hacktivists” can be stopped with the same defenses that fend off other cyberattacks.

2016: The year of the data breach

The healthcare system faced an inceasingly common occurance in 2016, with a report by Protenus Breach Barometer claiming there was, on average, one data breach a day.

Los Angeles Valley College pays $28,000 ransom after cyberattack

After detecting a cyberattack, the Los Angeles Community College District has paid $28,000 in bitcoin ransom.

OCR clarifies HIPAA disclosure after Orlando nightclub shooting

HHS’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has clarified that HIPAA’s rules on disclosing protected health information (PHI) are not limited by the sex or gender identity of the patient or their loved ones.

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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