What About Offsite Data Storage and Security for Hospitals.

Data security concerns should always be on the minds of those in IT throughout the healthcare industry. However, fears related to the security found in cloud-based solutions are something the industry continues to get hung-up on, and sometimes, for good reason.

There is no doubt that the best solutions that offer the most efficiency are being delivered offsite through VNA and cloud-based services. However, some healthcare providers are not eager to step toward these services due to their fear of releasing patient data into the hands of a third party.

Managing risk outside the confines of the hospital campus (regardless of how big or small the campus might be) is something healthcare providers spend a great deal of time on every year. IT administrators who don’t do their research are the ones making headlines due to security breaches. However, it’s worth mentioning that vendors with weak security protocols aren’t going to last long.

In September, news broke about a clinical diagnostics laboratory that had to tell more than 7,000 people that their information had been stored on an unsecured server for around three years. Billing documents, health insurance information and various other health information was out there for everyone to see.

The industry has room for worry as nearly 40 million people have had their information compromised in what is known as HIPAA security breaches. Offsite data storage can be a tricky business, which means you need to do your research before contracting with a third party to handle your hundreds or thousands of gigabytes of data.

Fines become exceedingly large for companies that continue to turn a blind eye to various data security concerns. In May of 2014, one provider was fined $4.8 million for security breaches when a worker was able to stumble upon health information regarding a deceased loved one. Obviously, there is more to covering yourself than just vetting your offsite storage data vendors. Ongoing audits must be practiced in order to make sure everything is safely tucked away where it should be.

Even HealthCare.gov was found to have vulnerabilities, some of which were classified as “critical.” The Office of the Inspector General found the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had not implemented processes to use automated tools for testing database security configuration settings. Auditors involved in the investigation said they were concerned about the website’s use of encryption technology, which isn’t certified to meet some government standards.

If the federal government can’t get it right, just think of how many small hospitals across the nation struggle with the same problems. Offsite storage data has to be addressed seriously no matter how small the provider.

OffSite Image Management, Inc., has chosen a Tier IV datacenter to store its medical imaging and data. Not only is uptime at or near 100 percent, clients of OffSite have security assurances, including a fully fault-tolerant list of components. Everything from uplinks to storage to chillers and HVAC systems are built to alert specific individuals if something is going wrong. Partner with the safest in the industry; call OffSite today.