Healthcare Information Security

521 Words3 Pages
Information security makes reference to the act of protecting information from unauthorized access, disruption, modification or destruction. In the field of Information Technology there are various methods and layers of security. Security can be maintained at a hardware, network, operating system and application level. Security can also be maintained at a process level. I work in a healthcare environment where Information Security begins at a process level and is maintained and ensured to various degrees. In Healthcare there are what is known as HIPPA regulations that exist to ensure the privacy of patient data in healthcare and insurance facilities. There are several aspects to take into consideration when analyzing a potential data security problem. The first aspect to consider is network security. If hackers can penetrate the network, patient data is definitely at risk. The second aspect is Email security. This can be easily covered if the proper policies and education of employees are implemented. The third aspect is personnel. The workers at a health care facility can definitely be a security breach. In order to prevent this, they should be trained on the new regulations and company policies. Health care providers who see patients will be required to obtain consent before sharing information for treatment, payment and health care operations (Gue, 2002). Additionally, separate patient authorization must be obtained for non-routine disclosures and most non-health care purposes. Patients will have the right to restrict the use of these disclosures (Balezentis & Halterman, 2002). Throughout healthcare information is often made available via a networked application and sometimes via web applications. Information that is readily available via the network must be secured. Firewalls are built from hardware, software, and network equipment to permit some
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