Data Security & Privacy in Healthcare
Fardin Quazi, Anirudh Khanna, Suryaprakash Nalluri, Naveena Gorrepati · International Journal of Global Innovations and Solutions (IJGIS) · 2024
In today's digital age, the importance of healthcare security is more critical than ever as electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) becomes increasingly pervasive and privacy compliance is imperative everywhere.The paper covers some of the vulnerabilities and threats in handling Protected Health Information (PHI) in healthcare systems.Ransomware and insider breaches are the predominant threats, along with compliance challenges in all regulated spaces from HIPAA to GDPR, including standards set by CMS and HIX.The significance of ransomware attacks is highlighted, emphasizing the need for robust backup and recovery solutions to mitigate these threats.The paper proposes to discuss the implementation of emerging technologies such as blockchain for greater ePHI security by examining HIMSS and other Healthcare IT (HIT) framework guidance, along with case studies on security protocols used currently.The emphasis of the outcome is to reinforce robust security measures to ensure a privacy culture in healthcare institutions along with obligatory compliance and data protection laws.Thereby, enhancing trust between patients and the care providers and processes.Home Data Security & Privacy in Healthcare 3 compromised patient safety, and substantial financial losses.Effective backup and recovery solutions are essential to ensure data integrity and availability in the aftermath of such attacks.This paper attempts to survey the current scenario of data protection and privacy in healthcare, enumerate potential threats, including ransomware, and offer prospective countermeasures that can serve as safeguards against possible dangers.By addressing the implications of ransomware attacks and the critical need for comprehensive backup and recovery strategies, the paper aims to provide actionable insights for healthcare organizations to enhance their cybersecurity posture and ensure the continuous protection of patient data. Technological AdvancementsDigital transformation in healthcare has changed the way medical services are provided, managed, and enhanced.This transition involves the use of electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, mobile health applications, and sophisticated data analytics tools.With the help of these technologies, we can optimize workflow processes, personalize treatments, and make better decisions based on large-scale data integration with analysis.But with more healthcare systems going digital and becoming part of integrated networks, the scale of potential data security challenges grows.The increased interoperability between digital platforms has led to the storage and transmission of PHI and ePHI across multiple networks and devices, which frequently