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 Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, using malware, ransomware and spyware to attack outdated and vulnerable systems and software.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

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How cybercriminals are going pro

Cybercriminals are establishing professional businesses and adopting corporate best practices, according to Symantec’s Internet Security Threat Report.

Fla. breach tied back to two employees' tax fraud scheme

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County has issued a security breach notice to patients of its health centers in the area.

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Providers pool resources to guard against cyberattacks

Healthcare providers are joining forces to fight the growing threat of online attacks on their data and information systems.

Philly health system breach due to employee error

Einstein Health Network has notified some 3,000 patients about a possible data breach after a website database was accidentally left accessible online, according to a Norristown Patch report.  

Brooklyn provider another victim of phishing email

Metropolitan Jewish Health System (MJHS) in Brooklyn, N.Y., was the victim of a phishing attack in January. 

Ransomware alert offers 7 preventive measures

The U.S. healthcare industry, as well as other businesses and individuals globally, are susceptible to the threat of ransonware and variants of the virus, according to an alert from the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team within the Department of Homeland Security and the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre.

CHIME betting on successful solution coming out of National Patient ID Challenge

CHIMA is holding a National Patient Identifier Challenge and so far, the response has been “tremendous,” said 2016 Board Chair Marc Probst, CIO at Intermountain Healthcare.

Breach affects 900 patients in North Carolina

Documents containing sensitive information were accidentally submitted as part of a court filing, leading to a data breach affecting 900 patients.  

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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