By: Daryl Smith on July 1st, 2024
No Organization Is Above Being Compromised: How Your Practice Can Learn From the Change Healthcare Incident
Cybercriminals have recently escalated their attacks on members of the healthcare space, causing damaging data breaches across the industry.
In 2021, healthcare data breaches resulted in the exposure of 45.9 million records. The situation worsened in 2022 with 51.9 million records breached. However, 2023 shattered all previous records with an astounding 133 million records compromised. Among these breaches, 26 incidents involved over a million records each, and four breaches affected more than 8 million records. The biggest data breach of the year impacted 11,270,000 individuals, marking the second-largest healthcare data breach in history.
No company is immune. The February 2024 Change Healthcare breach is proof of that. The health payment processing company -- a subsidiary of UnitedHealth -- is the largest in the world, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all claims, according to the U.S. House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee. The cyberattack has led to a backlog of unpaid claims and the leaking of millions of Americans’ health data.
That's why investing in robust security processes and platforms is critically important to medical offices.
What You Should Learn From This Trend
Health facility leaders need to take a close look at what is happening in the industry and add safeguards to ensure yours isn't the next company on the list.
- It can happen to any company. Never assume your practice is out of reach. It doesn't matter how big or small your company is or how many resources you have at your disposal. It can be targeted by cybercriminals anytime, in a variety of ways. This realization should drive every organization to reevaluate its cybersecurity position and implement stringent protective measures.
- Robust security measures help. Preventing incidents similar to Change Healthcare's requires investing in comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. This includes deploying enterprise-grade firewalls and ensuring that your IT infrastructure is capable of detecting and mitigating threats. Integrity Systems & Solutions can assist in fortifying your practice’s defenses with our advanced security solutions.
- You must follow compliance standards and monitor results. Adhering to HIPAA regulations is essential to protect patient privacy and information. Regular audits and continuous monitoring can identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited by cybercriminals. This also helps avoid costly penalties associated with violations.
- Establish a proactive defense. Don't wait until scammers come knocking to make a plan. Anticipate threats and take preventive measures. Regularly train your staff on cybersecurity best practices. Encourage them to maintain vigilance and report anything fishy they see. The "see something, say something" approach can significantly reduce the risk of breaches caused by human error.
- Create backup and recovery plans. Ransomware attacks are constantly becoming more sophisticated. Healthcare organizations are prime targets due to the sensitive nature of the data they hold. Implementing robust backup and recovery solutions can minimize downtime and data loss if your practice is attacked.
Secure Your Healthcare Data: Stop Ransomware Before It Strikes
The Change Healthcare ransomware attack is a sobering reminder that no organization is above being compromised. Investing in robust IT solutions and partnering with experts like Integrity Systems & Solutions can help. Your practice can significantly reduce the risk of becoming the next victim of a healthcare data breach. As the old saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Protect your practice's network from increasing threats by taking proactive measures.
Request a free consultation to learn more.