In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the digitalization of the healthcare industry. Previously reliant on analog technology and manual care, the industry has now entered into an era where optimized and efficient techniques and fewer human errors have become mainstream. The healthcare sector’s digitization has also reduced the headache of sending, retrieving, and storing sensitive information and patient records.
However, with all these benefits of the digital world come significant threats and disadvantages. As the world progresses towards digital transformation, cybercrime and cyber threats are becoming more prevalent. By each passing day, we are reminded that technology is not always trustworthy.
This puts the entire healthcare industry in grave danger. For these reasons and many more, it has become critical for hospitals and other healthcare departments to understand the importance of cybersecurity. Below are some other reasons why cybersecurity is vital for the healthcare industry and why they should invest in good cybersecurity services.
Security Is The Key To Efficiency
Before the healthcare industry could become digitized, the system’s processes heavily relied on human resources. The vast information on papers required the workforce to maintain hundreds of files on each patient, and as the population grew, this methodology of storing and retrieving data became time-consuming and almost useless. This made the care of patients inefficient, and regardless of how hard the professionals worked, the patients were not getting the care they needed.
Thus, it is crucial to prevent cyberattacks because without storing data on cloud-networks and databases, hospitals become inefficient. It is especially essential in today’s world where the population is growing fast, and so is the threat of novel pathogens capable of causing pandemics. Hence the valuable data on patients have made it critical to protect databases and networks from cybercrime to work efficiently in global health emergencies.
It Can Save The Healthcare Industry Millions Of Dollars
When you look at healthcare departments today as compared to two decades ago, you’ll notice that the processes have become much more smooth, useful, and efficient. The change was possible due to the incorporation of technology into the system.
Due to safe and secured cloud-based sharing and retrieving data, healthcare professionals have become fast and competent and can deal with more patients in less time. This saves hospitals plenty of time, effort, and money for two reasons;
- They have to hire fewer people to keep the processes running smoothly.
- Less time spent on each patient increases their opportunity to treat more people in a day.
Moreover, cybersecurity ensures that the patient’s data is not leaked to a third party, harming the patients. Data breaches can lead to lawsuits costing businesses and healthcare departments millions of dollars.
It Is Important For The Patients
If not more, cybersecurity is equally important to the patients as it should be for the healthcare sector. Hospitals and other health departments must protect the data of their patients from getting leaked. Criminals can use this information for various purposes and commit fraud against the patients. Some of these scams include;
- Criminals selling information on the black market for possible Medicare fraud and other financial gains.
- Using stolen data to commit identity theft.
- Using data for fraudulent purchases.
- Blackmailing the patients with the information.
About GPS Security
GPS Security Group offers a full range of cyber and online security to the healthcare industry across Western Canada. Visit our website to read more about our professional security services or contact us now for personalized care.
