Unencrypted Data

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Although this may be due to the fact that encrypted data breaches do not have to be reported, the vast majority of data breaches are due to stolen or lost data that was unencrypted. A common theme includes the data archiving method of using backup tapes to store patient health records.

While increasing and monitoring security of the storage facilities is important, another alternative is IT disaster recovery for the cloud. By eliminating tape backup, cloud disaster recovery can increase recovery time objectives (RTO) and restore your server data and applications in hours.

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Data Stored on Devices

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Almost half of all data breach types can be attributed to the theft of physical records - 49 percent. When portable devices are unencrypted or not properly secured by passwords, pins and other security methods, the risk of a PHI breach increases considerably. Additionally, if you’re not backing up your data frequently, you can lose a lot of valuable patient records if you lose your laptop, smartphone, etc.

One solution is using a HIPAA compliant data center to host your data and applications securely in an offsite location with the appropriate technical, physical, logical and network security in place. With limited remote access, your data is safely stored off of your personal and portable devices while your servers are being managed and monitored by trained professionals.

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