In an effort to keep up with the most modern technological practices, most medical facilities (including doctors’ offices and hospitals) have at the very least begun the switch over from paper to all electronic based medical data storage and devices. Though the switchover to computerized equipment provides many benefits including ease of use and streamlined information retrieval, there are ever growing concerns about the threat of cybersecurity breaches. According to a survey commissioned by Kroll Advisory Solutions over the last 12 months, security breaches in the healthcare industry are up 8% from 2010 and 14% from 2008 indicating that computer based security issues are multiplying fast.
In order to combat ever growing cybersecurity threats in the medical space, the Health Trust Information Alliance announced today that it has constructed a centralized Cybersecurity Incident Response and Coordination center where various healthcare related organizations can report cybersecurity threats as well as access assistance with electronic medical security problems. This group, created 5 years ago by such healthcare and electronic industry leaders as Kaiser Permanente and Cisco, stated that, “The group will focus on cybersecurity threats and events targeted at healthcare organizations in areas, including, but not limited to, networks, mobile devices, workstations, servers and medical devices. This sharing of information is crucial for organizations’ preparedness, protection and crisis management.” Working with the already established HITRUST organization, as well as other leading industry organizations, they will strive to not only identify threats and assist with solutions, but also work to make the threat and response information readily available to center participants.
