Protecting Your Health Information: Why Privacy and Security Should be Your Top Concern
The world today is rapidly advancing in technology, and one thing that is becoming increasingly essential is the security of our personal information, especially our health information. Patients trust the healthcare industry with their private information, and it is the responsibility of healthcare providers to ensure that patient information is protected at all times.
Why is Health Information Important?
Health information is a fundamental aspect of a patient’s care that must be kept confidential and secure. It contains sensitive and personal details about an individual’s medical history, including diagnoses, treatment plans, and other identifiable information. Health information is crucial for ensuring accurate diagnoses, monitoring chronic conditions, and providing appropriate treatment. Hence, keeping this information private is a top priority.
Importance of Privacy and Security in Health Information Systems
In today’s world, we have seen a rise in the number of data breaches and cyber attacks. Breaches of electronic health records (EHRs) can pose significant challenges, including identity theft, financial theft, and unauthorized access to medical conditions that could lead to discrimination. These attacks are a major threat to the confidentiality and privacy of health information.
Adequate privacy and security measures such as firewalls, password management systems, access controls, audit trails, and data encryption are critical in ensuring data security. As far as privacy is concerned, patients have the right to control their health information and must grant permission for it to be shared with other healthcare providers. Patients can also limit how much or how little information is released to the parties involved in their care.
Impact of Not Securing Health Information
When health information is not adequately secured, there is a considerable risk of identity theft and financial fraud. Additionally, medical identity theft can lead to wrong diagnoses, missed treatments, and wrongful use of prescriptions, all of which can put the patient’s health at risk.
The cost of not securing health information can also be significant, leading to loss of trust from patients and other stakeholders such as investors, causing the organization to lose revenue.
Case Study: Anthem Data Breach
In 2015, Anthem, one of the biggest health insurance companies in America, suffered the largest healthcare data breach in history, affecting over 78.8 million people. Personal information, including names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, and medical ID numbers, was accessed by cyber attackers. The breach led to a class-action lawsuit settlement of $115 million, in addition to the cost of losing customers’ trust.
Conclusion
In conclusion, protecting health information is essential in ensuring the privacy and security of the sensitive and personal information that patients entrust healthcare providers with. There is a need for healthcare providers to take privacy and security seriously and to implement adequate measures to secure health information. This will reduce the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches that could lead to significant financial and reputational consequences.
