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Healthcare Providers Worried About Viruses And Hackers
SecurityProNews
Staff Writer
2005-06-16
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IVANS announced the results of a technology survey conducted among healthcare facilities and providers.
The survey revealed that while most participants' Internet connections do offer some security features, they still are very concerned about their networks' vulnerabilities to outsiders. More than 85 percent of respondents said they are concerned about viruses, and 50 percent are concerned about hackers.
These concerns are augmented by the fact that most respondents have networked computers at their facilities, increasing their vulnerability to these risks. Approximately 90 percent of hospitals, home care facilities, and nursing homes or rehabilitation centers reported having local area networks, with 80 percent of hospices and 58 percent of physicians offices saying they are networked.
"It's important for facilities to have security features in place, but it's equally important that they are managed and updated regularly," says T.C. Kaiser, group vice president, offering management and development, IVANS. "New viruses and online attacks are unleashed every day, and staying on top of the updates can be difficult for a facility with a limited IT staff and budget. However, as larger organizations become more adept at online security, smaller organizations will become more of a target."
The survey also revealed that healthcare and provider facilities are slowly adopting remote access for employees. Although 47 percent of hospitals offer this service, only 20 percent of physicians offices, 30 percent of both home care and nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and 33 percent of hospices provide remote access for their employees.
"Providing remote access to physicians and other employees is a tremendous opportunity for improving productivity and patient care," Kaiser says. "Being able to perform tasks such as viewing x-rays online and communicating electronically with partners such as pharmacies and other providers can save time and money, but security concerns are even more paramount when you have users accessing internal systems from outside the facility."
Like remote access, healthcare and provider facilities have yet to embrace wireless laptops and PDAs for their physicians and staff. Forty percent of hospitals are using these devices, but the adoption rate drops when it comes to hospices (32 percent), physicians offices (24 percent), home care facilities (21 percent), and nursing and rehab facilities (17 percent).
Editor's note: The survey was conducted in March 2005. It was mailed to 17,500 physicians offices, home care agencies, nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and hospices. IVANS received 2,267 responses via fax or mail, for a response rate of 13 percent.
About the Author:
SecurityProNews is a daily online and email publication focusing on internet security issues.
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