As if healthcare executives needed more to worry about, the recent hacker attack on Sony Pictures should send yet another reminder that data security can’t be ignored. On an international stage, Sony management learned the hard way that their e-mails, text messages, and private conversations were vulnerable to attack. Hackers accessed everything from the company’s sensitive financial information to its confidential employee communications. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Sony is facing government inquiries, class action lawsuits from employees and business partners, and a significantly tarnished reputation.
Many executives in our industry might think that healthcare facilities are better prepared to withstand hacker attacks, with numerous government agencies regulating how we store and transmit protected health information (PHI) and personal identifiable information (PII). In reality, a significant number of healthcare facilities have already suffered damaging hacker attacks over the last few years and expectations are that hacker attacks will be a continued threat for the foreseeable future. The question healthcare executives must ask is: “What are we going to do about it?”
