Current trends in healthcare skew toward more reliance on tech than ever before. Between telemedicine, data management practices, and countless other recent developments, hiring managed services providers (MSPs) is one of the easiest ways for practices to keep up with the times.
The value of managed IT services in healthcare
How to secure protected health information
Protected health information (PHI) includes different types of data, including a patient’s Social Security number, billing information, and health condition. Because of the wealth of confidential information it encompasses, PHI is highly valuable to hackers, who can use stolen PHI to carry out fraudulent activities.
Protect healthcare data from cybercriminals
Hospitals and other healthcare organizations rely on the integrity of their medical data. Unfortunately, healthcare systems — especially those that involve data entry software, prescription management systems, or electronic medical records — are often targeted by hackers.
What an MSP can do for healthcare providers
Technology is the heartbeat of modern medicine, which is why IT expertise is a skill that’s growing in importance from year to year. With the increasing complexity in data systems, managed services providers (MSPs) are more valuable than ever.
Here are some things to look for in a managed services provider before you consider partnering with one.
The rising popularity of telemedicine
Telemedicine — the practice of administering medical care remotely — is increasing in popularity because of its practicality. Most healthcare businesses have been implementing it for decades. Because of advancements in the healthcare industry, the variety of devices used, communication speed, and overall service quality, telemedicine has vastly improved recently.
Keep healthcare data safe from hackers
The healthcare industry is shifting their data to cloud services to serve their patients better and improve accessibility. This puts personal health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) at risk of getting stolen by hackers.
Why you need managed services in healthcare
Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the healthcare industry for its perceived vulnerability. Nowadays, more and more hospitals are realizing that overall patient care not only involves medical attention, but also entails securing patient data. For many healthcare organizations, it’s crucial to work with the right managed services provider (MSP) to ensure transactions are seamless and patient data is constantly protected.
What you need to know about EHR hardware
Medical history, vaccine status, lab test results, and other medical records are libraries unto themselves. Checking such files without the aid of computers can be cumbersome. Thanks to EHR, hospital staff can access these information with ease.
EHR stands for “Electronic Health Record,” and a lot can go into getting your practice ready for one of these data-sharing, network-connected, enterprise-wide information systems.
Mobile devices and HIPAA compliance
Mobile devices have revolutionized the healthcare industry: They’re convenient and significantly improve work efficiency and patients’ satisfaction. Yet they also come with risks. Patient data handled by those devices can be leaked. That’s why every healthcare provider needs to be extra careful about data security when using mobile devices.
Watch out! More ransomware attacks incoming
Ever since the WannaCry and Petya ransomware outbreaks, healthcare organizations have been on their toes. But just when they thought they could relax, a new strain of ransomware has come along. A “Locky-variant” ransomware campaign is currently underway, and it’s every bit as dangerous as previous ransomware attacks.
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