Protecting Patient Information: A Decision-Maker's Guide to Risk, Prevention, and Damage Control

Over 1, 000 healthcare organizations have been plagued by data breaches in recent years, causing massive exposure of protected health data at Anthem, Premara Blue Cross and many other major organizations. These incidents make it abundantly clear that healthcare has become a lucrative target for attackers. Ignoring this threat by putting cybersecurity near the bottom on the priority list is costing hospitals, medical practices, and insurers millions of dollars in fines, lawsuits, and bad press. Protecting Patient Information provides the concrete steps needed for tightening the information security of any healthcare IT system and reducing the risk exposing patient health information (PHI) to the public. This book offers a systematic, 3-pronged approach for addressing the IT security deficits present in healthcare organizations of all sizes. Healthcare decision makers are shown how to do an in-depth analysis of their organization's information risk level. After this assessment is complete, the book offers specific measures for lowering the risk of a data breach, taking into account federal and state regulations governing the use of patient data. Finally, Protecting Patient Information outlines the steps to take if an organization experiences a data breach, even if it takes all the right precautions. * Accessibly written for physicians, nurses, healthcare executives, and business associates who need to safeguard patient health information * Shows how to put in place the information security measures needed to reduce the threat of data breach * Teaches physicians that run small practices how to protect their patient's data * Demonstrates to decision-makers of large and small healthcare organizations the urgency of investing in cybersecurity.