By Gareth Griffiths, Chief Technology Officer, BridgeHead Software
Back in May, our eyes were opened to just how devastating an impact a ransomware attack can have on a healthcare system. More familiarly known as WannaCry, the attack crippled thousands of companies in 150 countries. But the May attack was just the tip of the ransomware iceberg. In the first half of 2017, one-third of the 149 healthcare data breaches reported to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) involved hacking/IT incidents, representing 60% of victims impacted or some 1.6 million individuals. One ransomware attack alone involved 500,000 records. With ransomware attacks on the rise, helping safeguard a hospital’s data in the event of a breach, ransomware or other cyberattack is paramount for us at BridgeHead. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity when asked to author a piece for the American Journal of Managed Care where I laid out four tips that will help protect healthcare IT systems housing important and valuable patient data.
For more information on how BridgeHead Software can help you optimize your hospital’s system and data protection environment, email: info@bridgeheadsoftware.com.
