Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have been popular amongst numerous organizations and sectors. Now, with remote and hybrid work so widespread, companies need to be even more conscious of the way they allow employees and contractors to access files and internal systems. You may ask "Do VPN's really work?" Continue reading to find out.
Organizations in the healthcare field will be familiar with HIPAA, formally known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Signed into law in 1996, it sets a national standard for protecting personal health information (PHI). It ensures that patients know how their information is stored and shared through consultation and consent. According to the HIPAA Journal, in the twelve months leading up to October 2023, there were 678 reported data breaches that contained 500 or more records across the country. There is room for improvement in protecting sensitive PHI, especially when dealing with large databases.
Any break in the standard flow of a business can result in severe financial losses. Where do these losses stem from? One of the most expensive business interruptions is IT or system downtime. What is system downtime? It's when a technological "glitch" shuts down production. For healthcare companies, it's when servers shut down and your electronic health records become unavailable. No appointment scheduling. No access to patient records. No processing of payments.
There are some estimates that downtime costs range from $427 per minute for small businesses to as high as $9,000 for large enterprises.
We have compiled a list of the top HIPAA-compliant messaging apps which provide concise descriptions and key features, assisting healthcare practices and systems in maintaining patient data securely and providing a better patient experience in the ever changing nature of healthcare technology.
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Document Act (PIPEDA) is Canada's federal law on patient privacy (Canada equivalent of HIPAA). It is comparable to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, however, there are a few key differences to be aware of.
The operating system (OS) in your device is as vital to it as your blood is to you. Without an OS, any device is essentially just a shell. Every new device that you buy comes with an OS, usually the latest version from the manufacturer you have selected. When you get the device, you get the OS. That is the good news. The question marks start appearing at the same time as the little pop-up window in the corner of your screen that tells you it is time to upgrade your OS. Here are some of the pros and cons of moving to the latest version of your OS.
