Like our conference, these digital marketing webinars and case studies were created to educate leaders in the healthcare industry on emerging Internet technologies and to provide an environment in which healthcare marketers, Web leaders, IT professionals and strategists can learn from the other attendees and presenters.
The Healthcare Internet Conference (HCIC) is proud to collaborate with Bowstring and Touch Point Media to provide exclusive insights from some of the brightest minds among our speakers and attendees.
Stay connected by tuning into the latest broadcasts, where strategic leaders share their perspectives on emerging trends and pressing challenges in the healthcare industry. Together, we’ll delve into groundbreaking innovations and pivotal policy updates shaping the future of healthcare.
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We’re in the age of the electronic health record.
But we’re also in the age of cyberattacks, hackers and ransomware.
It seems like a scary world out there for those in healthcare IT. However, in their opening keynote address at the 20th Annual Healthcare Internet Conference, the two presenters tried to alleviate some fears.
Jon Russell, Vice President and Associate CIO at John Muir Health, kicked off the presentation by sharing some mind-blowing stats:
He acknowledged that protecting healthcare data is a big challenge.
“It’s difficult because IT infrastructures are built over time,” Russell says. “Old technology and devices can’t be patched. And you know what they say…you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”
Tim Eades, CEO of vArmour, explained why healthcare data is so valuable for hackers.
“The most valuable thing you have is your healthcare record,” Eades says. “It’s your center of gravity — your blood type, your DNA, all of that. I could buy your social security number for a $1. But healthcare records are special because that’s what hackers want the most. Healthcare is in a vulnerable state. And a lot of times, you don’t have the IT to secure it.”
The statistics that Eades shared were startling:
Eades said that hosting information in multiple clouds — and moving away from storing information in physical places — was an important step. In addition, he also recommended segmenting data for an extra layer of protection.
One slide showed a few questions marketers could talk to their IT and CIO about. Let’s take a look:
One attendee asked how he could protect his own healthcare information.
“Make sure your record is with the right hospital,” Russell says. “It’s only as good as the controls around it. You’re at the mercy of the organization.”
