When you are running a medical practice there will always be a lot of things you want to think about with safety and security for yourself, your staff and your patients too. This will include things such as your computer systems, rooms and documents, and today we are going to have a chat about how you can make your medical practice safer and more secure from cyber attacks and other ones.
Secure your devices
It is always important for you in any professional environment to secure your devices and make sure that things are exactly as they should be, and in the medical field, this is more true. As you’ll know, the thing to think about with medical devices and machines is that they store information on patients when scans or tests are taken. This is why medical device security is so important because you need to make sure that the devices you use won’t leak sensitive medical information from your clients.
Choose good passwords
Passwords are always the first port of call when we are looking into computer security however a lot of us don’t create passwords which are secure enough. It is so crucial that we take the time to make secure passwords for our devices and when we are working in the medical field with sensitive information it is even more pressing. It is a good idea to use a password manager such as LastPass which will create and store all of your passwords to make sure they stay secure. Rather than a password with abc or 123, at the end, it will generate a random string of characters for you which you can use.
Use a secure server
A server is something which connects your devices to a network and this is something which can often be targeted by hackers in order for them to get to your data. It is important therefore that you always use a secure server and you can do some research online to find the best sources for this. If your server is secure it is significantly less likely that anything will happen to your devices. By implementing the above best-practice strategies for business security and opting for managed it services, you can help to reduce the risk of your company falling foul to a cyber attack.
Keep software up to date
There are software updates which pop up now and again for a good reason. Software updates either on an application or on your device are there to improve compatibility as well as make sure that your computer has the highest level of security it can have. If you think of your computer like a jigsaw puzzle, hackers will eventually work out the puzzle and be able to access your data. But when an update comes along they swap this jigsaw puzzle for a different one and this means hackers are pushed way back in their efforts. So every time you see a software update do it.
Keep backups
Backups are super important for anyone to have and it is something which you need to make sure that you do in the medical field. Patient medical records are literally a matter of life or death and therefore you always need to make sure that you keep them safe and sound. If your computer contracted a virus tomorrow and all of your files corrupted what would you do? Would you have any other copies which you can use or would you be totally screwed? This is why an external hard drive will be your best friend and it is something which you absolutely need to buy for your surgery.
Lock up
Make sure that at the end of every day in the workplace that you lock your computer. Locking up your computer is the most important thing you can do and you should do this even if you are only getting up to go to the toilet or for a brew. Locking your device will ensure that no one else can see the information on your screen including other patients. It is super important and something you have to remember to do.
Secure the building
Of course the security of your computer is important, but the security of your building is also incredibly important when dealing with patients. This will include having a blocked off reception area with little windows, making sure to have a fob system for doors or codes, and making sure that when you lock up at night it is totally secure and safe. Your building is the first layer of security you have in the business and therefore you’ll want to spend some money and time making it perfect.
