(NAPSI)—Some people are taking an unhealthy interest in your medical
information—but they can be stopped.
The Problem
With data breaches occurring across many industries, even sensitive data
pertaining to patient health care records is at risk. A recent University of
Phoenix study of 504 registered nurses and administrative staff found that
only a quarter of registered nurses have seen changes in the way their
companies handle data security and patient privacy over the past year despite
increased data breaches across all industries. The survey also found that 20
percent of registered nurses and 19 percent of administrative staff admitted
their facilities have experienced a breach of private patient data.
Furthermore, the Identity
Theft Resource
Center notes that, as
of November 2017, there had been nearly 5 million data breaches in the health
care industry. These breaches can be detrimental to organizations: According
to IBM’s 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study, health care is the most costly
industry for data breaches, with the average cost per affected record at
$380.
The issue is further compounded by a lack of trained cybersecurity
professionals to combat hackers, especially in health care, where
professionals make less and are responsible for not only protecting systems,
but lives. Without trained experts, the onus falls on RNs and administrators,
who may be unaware of how to identify or prevent breaches.
Expert Advice
“Patient safety transcends physical, emotional and electronic bounds
and, in our increasingly digital world, it is important for health care
professionals to be prepared for the possibility of data breaches,”
said Doris Savron, executive dean for the College of Health
Professions, College
of Education and College of
Humanities & Sciences at University
of Phoenix. “Everyone
in the health care industry must work together to establish protocols and
implement training to secure and protect all patient data to reduce the risk
of being compromised.”
Nurses and administrative staff agree, with 23 percent of RNs and 34
percent of administrative staff stating that additional support and training
is needed for health care privacy and security.
“Health care organizations are extremely susceptible to human error.
If one employee accidentally invites malicious malware
into a system, the impact can be catastrophic. To limit the amount of
breaches, cybersecurity governance must improve,”
said Dennis Bonilla, executive dean for the College
of Information Systems and Technology
at University
of Phoenix. “Without
improved training and robust cybersecurity response
plans incorporated into information technology strategies, the health care
industry will continue to bear the brunt of these attacks.”
What’s Being Done
Current steps being taken to ensure the protection of patient data
include:
• Updated privacy and access policies, according to more than
two-thirds of RNs and administrative staff;
• Role-based access, according to 59 percent of RNs and 60 percent
of administrative staff; and
• Data surveillance, according to most RNs and administrative staff.
“Understanding what we do well now to protect patient data can help
us create an increasingly sophisticated framework to safeguard this sensitive
information,” added Savron. “University of Phoenix offers degree and certificate
programs that help prepare health care professionals to provide the best
possible care to their patients while taking steps to protect their personal
information.” The school helps working adults move efficiently from
education to careers in a rapidly changing world.
Learn More
For information about programs offered through the College
of Health Professions and College of Information Systems and Technology,
visit phoenix.edu. For full survey information and an infographic,
visit www.phoenix.edu/about_us/media-center/news/uopx-survey-finds-one-in-five-healthcare-professionals-have-experienced-patient-data-breaches.html.
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)