As if we didn’t have enough to worry about as consumers, medical identity theft is on the rise. The smarter we as individuals get about protecting our own security, the more tools cybercriminals use to capture the data they want. It’s a game of cat and mouse that we’ll invariably keep playing for the foreseeable future.
For consumers, the situation is real. If you fall victim to medical identity theft, the scam itself may cost you thousands of dollars. Of course, there’s more to it than that. You’ll also face:
Potential loss of health coverage - if criminals max out limits, insurance companies may terminate coverage that you might actually need in an emergency.
Ruined credit history - they charge up large bills and leave you to pick up the fees.
False records - you might have the wrong treatments in your medical records, which can be disastrous if you show up at the ER.
Higher premiums - if your premiums remain intact, rates could rise because of your history.
As a consumer, it’s enough to keep you up at night.
As a health provider, it can also create sleepless nights. You’re lucky enough to be on both sides of the table. How will you protect yourself as a medical practitioner?
Create a plan - think of your plan as ever-growing, ever-changing. The more research you do, the more your plan will come together.
Tell patients your plan - this is a trust factor. It can increase patient engagement when they see you doing things to keep data secure.
Verify patient identities - this is no longer about asking a person their name. Secure login and device intelligence should be used for both in-person and virtual connections.
Learn all you can - this isn’t an “invest in a tool and expect it to work for life” project. Instead, keeping data secure is a never-ending business practice. Your approach should be to stay updated on both the latest technology as well as what hackers are doing to break in. It should also be about building a multi-layered structure that includes help from a variety of resources.
Educate your staff - humans are always the weakest link. You can never over-educate your team on how to keep data safe. Schedule security training regularly.
How are you protecting your patients from medical identity theft?
For IT Strategy, Cloud Conversion, or Help Desk Services reach out to us at Silver Linings Technology 360-450-4759.
