Today's Practice: Changing the Business of Medicine National Edition Q1 2018 | Page 31

Data Protection
David Mercy
DO keep all patient data safe, whether on paper or on
the network. Nothing left in an unattended area, on a
copy machine, fax and particularly at the reception area.
You need to protect patient information in every
format, no matter where it is.
For a complete list, please visit www.itsupportla.com/-
cyber-security-dos-and-donts/ In all honesty, many
medical professionals don’t seem that concerned about
HIPAA, but you should be. Once you’ve been stung by
a massive fine, you are on the OCR’s radar, which is not
a good place to be. Aside from chipping away at the
profitability of your practice, neglect of any kind will
negatively impact your reputation. It takes no more to
be HIPAA compliant than it does to ensure that your
network in general is secured against attack. Don’t wait
for theft or a Ransomware lockdown of your data to
cause you to act. An ounce of prevention is, after all,
worth a pound of cure.
meet the author:
IT Support LA is dedicated to protecting privacy; safeguarding
the State’s information assets and infrastructure; identifying and
mitigating vulnerabilities; detecting, responding and recovering
from cyber incidents; and promoting cyber awareness and
education. We stand ready to assist and support you in your
cyber security risk management efforts. Remember - cyber
security is everyone’s responsibility!
TODAY’S PRA C T I C E: C HA NGI NG T HE BUS I NES S OF M EDI CINE
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