It’s only summer, and it’s already been an awful year for data security in the American healthcare sector. In April, a ransomware attack could have compromised the data of 85,000 patients at three orthopedic hospitals in California. Then, in June, a healthcare billing claims vendor experienced a cyber attack that may have breached the records of 270,000 patients. These incidents are just the tip of the iceberg. Between 2009 and 2017, 2,181 healthcare data breaches impacted more than 50 percent of the population of the United States.
Now, patient safety organizations (PSOs) are taking matters into their own hands. These groups want healthcare providers to collect, share and store patient data in a safe and responsible way. The result? Fewer data breaches and better patient care. But, as hackers become increasingly savvy, can data-driven healthcare organizations really safeguard patient information? And how can providers use the latest technology to improve their quality of care?
