Healthcare and big data have become two topics that, in today’s world, go hand in hand. The healthcare industry has been utilizing data and technology to make various processes, from patient care to administrative work more efficient and accurate. However, one major issue that has surrounded the healthcare industry over the last few years, and seems to continue to make its presence known, are security data breaches.
Data breaches are becoming a common problem throughout the healthcare industry, regardless of the sector. From major health insurance companies to privately owned dental practices, security is extremely important, and a lack thereof can cause a substantial negative impact while putting the confidential information of millions at risk. Here is how a data breach can impact your healthcare office or organization:
Increased Costs
One of the largest consequences to a healthcare data breach is the cost that comes along with it. In a 2018 data breach report conducted by IBM, a healthcare data breach costs an average of $408 per record. This has been recorded as the highest costs of any industry. Any healthcare company, whether large or small, will likely face hefty fines and other costs that will accumulate to fix the issue. If you’re in a smaller office, these costs can be very difficult to handle.
Lack of Trust
Consider the sensitive and confidential a healthcare company or office possesses; addresses, customer identity, bank or social security information, etc. This information, should it fall into the hands of a hacker or identity thief, can be detrimental to the victim financially, emotionally, and mentally. With that, your clients and patients want to know that they are able to trust their information is secure within your organization. A breach will cause this trust to be broken, and current customers or patients will likely take their business to another organization.
Tarnished Reputation
While a data breach will indefinitely affect the relationship and trust between an organization and its current customers, it will also negatively impact the organization’s overall reputation. When a company’s reputation is tarnished, especially with the power of the internet and media, it’s often difficult to repair. This ultimately causes issues with obtaining new patients and clients, and can, in turn, impact a practice or organization financially.
SurfCT.com is a world famous dental information technology company, founded by Mr. Paul Vigario. SurfCT.com specializes in areas such as dental technologies, digital workflow, marketing, dental cloud solutions, and HIPAA compliance. SurfCT.com’s technology solutions are revolutionizing general, cosmetic, and pediatric dentistry, along with oral surgery, endodontics, orthodontics, and other specialized dental practices. At SurfCT.com Everything Is Connected™