Hospital readmissions down thanks to big data

Readmission rates are a key performance indicator (KPI) for hospitals. They indicate the quality of care the practice provides as well as the tendency of the establishment to get overcrowded. Some legislation even reduces government payouts to hospitals with high readmission rates. Regardless of whether you want to avoid a stiff penalty or just improve […]

The pros and cons of EHRs

The healthcare industry has been increasing its adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). The technology claims to improve on current paper-based methods. However, EHRs are not flawless. Learn more about the pros and cons of EHRs and decide for yourself. What is an electronic health record? An electronic health record (EHR) is an individual’s official […]

The best way to secure PHI

Healthcare organizations must be vigilant about avoiding data breaches, especially since they’ve been prime targets for cybercriminals for several years. Medical records are extremely valuable to hackers, which is why healthcare sectors must implement the most advanced security solutions. Strict access policies To control access to protected health information (PHI), your IT department must introduce […]

Healthcare IoT: Security risks involved

From mobile apps that assist with taking medicine on time to smart appliances that monitor vitals, the Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming ubiquitous in healthcare. However, IoT’s expansion brings new risks, vulnerabilities, and security challenges for healthcare practitioners and their patients. Devices that contain a treasure trove of patient data are attractive targets for […]

4 Items in Your HIPAA Compliance Checklist

Getting your practice up to code when it comes to HIPAA regulations can seem challenging upon first glance, but knowing where your IT efforts must be focused is the first step. In this article, we’ll zero in on four of the most critical items you must look into in order to become HIPAA-compliant. Telehealth and […]

AI and its effects on healthcare

Technology changes and evolves at the blink of an eye. A new invention this year can be obsolete the next. However, some technological advancements survive the test of time, as is sure to be the case with machine learning. It’s the first step toward artificial intelligence (AI), and it’s already making huge strides in the […]

Situations perfect for virtual desktops

Managing an office full of computers and mobile devices is a nightmare especially in regulated industries. But with a virtualized desktop infrastructure (VDI), employees can access all the features of a personal computer from almost any mobile device. Here are a few use cases for this emerging technology: Healthcare In an industry where every file […]

Mitigating healthcare insider threats

The healthcare industry is unique in that the biggest data security threat comes from insider breaches.The main reason for these unauthorized hacks is financial gain. So how can healthcare organizations protect themselves against insider threats? Read on. #1 Educate – The workforce (meaning all healthcare employees) must be educated on allowable uses and disclosures of […]

Social Media and HIPAA Compliance

Before Social Media platforms like Facebook went live, HIPAA was established to protect the privacy of medical providers and their patients. And although there are no specific rules for Social Media use, every healthcare organization must implement security protocols that adhere to privacy policies. On April 14, 2003, the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” […]

Cybersecurity protocols to protect PHI

As you are well aware, healthcare companies and the vast amount of valuable patient information they hold have become a major target of cyberattacks. Hospitals must combat this with a highly-trained team of technicians equipped with premium systems and protocols, including: Routine Access Monitoring To control access to protected health information (PHI), your IT department […]