There are a lot of good reasons for building a remote care practice.
Suddenly, both patients and medical staff are finding new and improved ways to make each visit more thorough, more personalized. But even though it’s become the “new norm” for the moment, eventually, our options will expand once again.
Will we return to our old way of life, where the majority of visits are in-person? Or will virtual appointments be more in-demand than ever before?
We think the latter. But as we return to an open society, old concerns will re-materialize.
A recent study found the biggest deterrent for patients using remote care tools was proper security. As many as 60 percent of respondents weren’t utilizing telemedicine platforms or wearable technology because of privacy concerns. An equally high level of Americans also had a distrust of implantable technology to manage more critical conditions.
Will that change? Only time will tell.
But if any of the weaknesses we’ve found while staying-in-place are an indicator, such as Zoombombing, we think skepticism is the only thing that’s going to remain stable.
What’s a practice to do?
Hackers look at the health industry for two reasons.
1. The medical industry has some of the most valuable data on earth.
2. A lot of medical practices are careless with their security policies. They use old technology, place cybersecurity low on their to-do lists, and falter when keeping stay-safe training methods in their practices.
Hackers look for ease, and often don’t have to look very far for an in.
A few things you can do include:
Build a more robust sign-up process. This should be automated for your patient, where they provide a few pieces of information, and you handle the rest. Software confirms the user identity on the backend before granting access.
Stay on top of all antivirus and malware updates. If updates are offered, it’s because the technology company knows a weakness exists. Patching should be something you consistently do, and teach your staff the importance too with their own devices.
Multifactor identification is a must. Because PHI is sensitive as well as valuable, give it the protection it deserves. Multi steps of authentication will show your patients you mean business when it comes to keeping their data secure.
Be on the lookout for weaknesses everywhere. This isn’t just a patient/doctor problem. A lot of issues still exist with interoperability standards as well. Just because another medical facility communicates with you in an insecure manner doesn’t mean you have to reciprocate. Establish your own security methods and stick to your guns. Turn it into a teachable moment to beef up security across the industry.
What’s your strategy for building up your remote care practice as we move forward?
For IT Strategy, Cloud Conversion, or Help Desk Services reach out to us at Silver Linings Technology 360-450-4759.
