As cybercriminals increase their attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health is fighting back. Metro Health has joined an innovative partnership of cybersecurity experts working 24/7 to protect patients and employees from scams and information theft.
The Michigan Healthcare Security Operations Center launched in 2018 as the first collective of its kind in the nation. Mi|HSOC brings together leading IT security experts from Michigan Medicine, Beaumont Health, Munson Healthcare, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association and security company CyberForce|Q.
The Duesseldorf University Clinic in Germany was hit by a ransomware attack last week that forced staffers to direct emergency patients elsewhere. The cyberattack “crippled the entire IT network of the hospital." As a result, a woman seeking emergency treatment for a life-threatening condition died after she had to be taken to another city for treatment, according to several outlets.
In late February 2020, news broke in the United States that the once faraway threat of a “novel coronavirus” had spread to U.S. soil. As COVID-19 case numbers in major cities grew, stay-at-home orders were put in place, businesses closed, restaurants shifted to take-out only, and retailers adopted curbside service. All of this took place to slow the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, however, hospitals remained open — accepting new patients at the direction of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and working diligently to adhere to new safety guidelines. During virus, or any pandemic outbreaks, we are acutely reminded of our essential frontline healthcare workers, the critical need to enhance their overall safety, security, and to be as efficient as possible when communicating vital information.
Integrated into one of the most complex industries, blockchain technology can help legislation catch up with the exciting developments in cannabis medicine. At the same time, implementing blockchain in pharmacies can help provide patients with a wider variety of treatment options. In a fast-paced industry, where innovation drives growth, blockchain is the next step in encouraging access and security for cannabinoid-based medicine.
A developer error caused the leak of 150,000 to 200,000 patient health records stored in productivity apps from Microsoft and Google that were recently found on GitHub.
After months of social distancing, the coronavirus remains a serious public health challenge. As states across the country devise plans to reopen their local economies, government agencies and private healthcare providers are hungry for reliable data.
We speak to Saad Gul, Co-Chair of the Poyner Spruill, LLP, privacy and cybersecurity team, and learn about the Lifespan HHS investigation, what it means for data security professionals and why the HSS ruling should be a warning to all companies with HIPPA information.
Regardless of the exact wording of The CMS Interoperability and Patient Access final rule, it’s clear that healthcare executives will be spending considerable time this year thinking about, planning for, and implementing technologies that support healthcare data exchange.
By looking at hospitals – and the resulting mad scramble and actions they took to protect their patients – there are four lessons that can be distilled to help those in the thick of a spike or for those planning for the next surge.
Counterfeiters do not take time off. At its core, counterfeiting preys upon our vulnerabilities and takes advantage of the average customer at any cost. This is particularly true right now during the coronavirus pandemic, the most inconvenient and vulnerable moment in generations. In the midst of mass shortages and colossal demands for certain products, especially in the health field, the counterfeit community has seen a golden opportunity. Over the past few months, tens of millions of new counterfeit products have been seized or identified on the web. These include fraudulent face masks, ventilators, disinfectants and testing kits.
