Patient data security: driving application modernization in hospitals

Protecting patient data in hospital environments has become a major focus of healthcare facilities in recent times.

Not surprisingly, hospitals and any healthcare setting are the guardians of highly confidential information: patient data. We’re talking about medical history, medical records, test results and a multitude of personal information critical to both current care and future care planning.

At the same time, in an IoT environment, with Big Data as the protagonist and cybercrime or data misuse as antagonists, the importance of safeguarding them cannot be underestimated. To give an example: the opening of healthcare centers to digitalization brings with it vulnerability, to the point that the healthcare sector has experienced a 650% increase in cyber-attacks in the last year, according to Tehtris. 

In this sense, the modernization of applications plays a key role in this process, as it makes it possible to improve the security, efficiency and accessibility of this data. Let’s take a look at how.

Basic manual for protecting patient data

How can we protect patient data? 

The key concepts that need to stick, in addition to simply adopting secure technologies and improving interoperability, is the implementation of protective measures and optimizing the patient and medical staff experience.

It must be kept in mind that we can never break that relationship between a patient and his or her physician based on trust.

Stolen medical information can be used to commit various types of fraud, obtain drugs illegally or even extort money from individuals.

At the same time, the availability of accurate and up-to-date data is crucial for providing effective medical care and making informed decisions about diagnosis and treatment. 

And all this while complying with the relevant state and European regulations at all times.

Modernization for data protection in hospitals

What are the key aspects to consider when modernizing hospital applications? 

Upgrading and improving existing systems and applications to be more efficient, secure and functional is the crux of the matter. In the context of hospitals, application modernization plays a key role in the protection of patient data. Here, both state-of-the-art medical equipment and all data-related devices must reach a new level of security:

• Enhanced security
  Data encryption, role-based access and intrusion detection, as well as the upgrade of obsolete and vulnerable systems.

• Controlled access
  Leading-edge applications can implement identity and access management systems.

• Data backup and recovery
  In the event of a security incident or system failure, critical data must be able to be restored quickly to avoid disruptions in patient care.

• Systems integration
  Hospitals use a variety of systems and applications to manage medical data, and if we can integrate them, it improves efficiency and data accessibility.

Within the modernization of hospital applications, it is necessary, before undertaking any process, to conduct a thorough needs assessment and then start with strategic planning (allocating resources, defining objectives, etc.), training personnel and establishing continuous monitoring and maintenance.

Hospital data: top priority

As we can see, protecting patient data in hospital environments is a critical responsibility that encompasses confidentiality, fraud prevention, care improvement and legal compliance. 

At Tedisel Medical, we believe that application modernization is the master key to strengthening security, controlled access, data recovery and systems integration. 

Investing in it is investing in the present and the future, not only to store and treat patient data properly, but also to improve the quality of healthcare and strengthen trust between patients and healthcare providers.