The world relies on digital technology. Because of that, cybersecurity has become extremely important. When cybersecurity issues happen in your pharmacy, significant vulnerabilities will be exposed within specific operations. This will cause all kinds of problems, including widespread prescription delays. This shows how sensitive digital infrastructures are in pharmacy and the potential for extensive disruption. It highlights the important need for better security measures.
Protecting your patients’ privacy is crucial. It’s your job to safeguard patient data and prevent data breaches. If someone obtains unauthorized access to a patient’s information, it can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and compromised patient confidentiality. The reputation of your pharmacy can also be damaged, destroying your patients’ trust. Because of this, you need to be familiar with cybersecurity best practices.
Cyberattacks can take on various forms. Here are some of the most common:
- Phishing: Entails sending a scam email or text message
that contains a link to a malicious website to trick people into giving sensitive data. This data can be used as leverage for a ransom or a means to disrupt or add chaos to a business organization. - Malware: Software that intentionally causes disruption to a computer, server, client, or computer network, leaks private information, and gains unauthorized access to information or systems. Malware includes various types of cyber threats such as viruses, adware, spyware, and ransomware.
- Denial of Service (DoS): Used to disable user access to websites. It can take down websites and entire networks. A DoS attack is accomplished by flooding a network with traffic until it becomes overwhelmed and crashes. This prevents access for legitimate users.
If your pharmacy were to fall victim to a cyberattack, the inability to access your system and take care of your patients will be the largest toll on your business. Plus, your bottom line may be negatively affected due to patients and customers in your community no longer trusting that your pharmacy is safe to do business with. You are responsible for who gets access to the information, along with what protocols and cybersecurity safety measures you and your team put in place.
These cybersecurity tips can help you keep your pharmacy and patients safe:
Provide Cybersecurity Training for Your Staff
Your most important line of defense against cyberattacks is training staff members and making them aware of potential threats. Ongoing education and training programs are crucial to ensure that pharmacy staff are well-informed about privacy protocols, data-handling procedures, and the importance of patient confidentiality. They also need to be taught cybersecurity best practices, such as never using pharmacy systems for personal matters and not opening web links until they’ve checked them. Your staff also needs to know how to recognize a phishing attack. This is one of the most common ways outsiders can gain access to a system.
Manage Passwords Properly
A key aspect in preventing potential cyberattacks is password management. Passwords need to be hard to guess but easy to remember. Always use different passwords for different accounts. This can prevent multiple accounts from being compromised if one is hacked. A way to add another layer of security is by using multi-factor authentication. It involves multiple steps to log into an account, and it’s a way to add another layer of security. Just remember to never write passwords down on paper. They can easily get stolen or lost.
Be Sure Internet Exposure is Addressed
If you want to be proactive, address internet vulnerabilities. Use strategies like conducting regular exposure scanning and properly configuring any devices. You’ll also need to employ best practices for remote desktop services and be sure all your software is up to date.
Protect Against Cyberattacks with Security Software
Make sure that all your devices have web filtering, antimalware, and antivirus software. Be sure firewalls are in place at key points. This prevents attacks, and using encryption protocols and firewalls will lower risks of identity theft. It’s also vital to keep this software up to date.
Back Everything Up
You need to be sure that all critical data and systems in your pharmacy are backed up. That way, if you do become a victim to cyberattack, you’ll have backups that will allow you to have access to lost data. You’ll also want to regularly test backups for preparedness and effectiveness and be sure you never keep them on the same device that they’re backing up. Lastly, don’t forget to encrypt all backups.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
This is an important security measure that verifies someone’s identity by requiring more than a username and password alone. MFA can require users to provide two or more of the following:
- Something the user knows (password, phrase, PIN)
- Something the user has (physical token, phone)
- Something that physically identifies the user (fingerprint, facial recognition)
Because most security breaches are caused by human error, it’s crucial to focus on employee education and training. Work with an IT professional to create tests for your staff. It’s also a good idea to have your team take cybersecurity assessments.
If you do suffer cyber loss, help limit the damage. In other words, immediately call your insurance company and file a claim. Get them involved. Restrain yourself from throwing away any of the computers. By filing a claim, your insurance company will bring in a team of professionals to help you. This includes legal advisors, attorneys, and the forensics teams who will help you with notifying customers and with any PR or communication strategies for your local communities.
Remember: It really isn’t enough to train your pharmacy staff to avoid phishing and other cybersecurity threats when they first join your pharmacy. These efforts must be constant as most security breaches are caused by human error. Because of this, ongoing employee education and training are extremely important.
Work with an IT professional who can help create tests for your staff. It’s also a good idea to have your team take cybersecurity assessments. This will help ensure they’re well prepared.
Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance
You need to ensure that you comply with a variety of laws, regulations, and compliance considerations. This includes:
- Data Protection Laws: You must comply with rigid
data protection laws that are designed to protect patient information. - Healthcare Compliance Standards: The breach raises concerns about adherence to healthcare compliance standards, emphasizing the need for rigorous security protocols.
- Legal Repercussions: You can face legal repercussions for failing to protect patient data, including fines and damage to reputation.
Steps You Can Take to Avoid Such Problems
You must, to the extent necessary, comply with HIPAA and state laws. This can include taking the following steps to ensure that your patients and systems are not inadequately vulnerable:
Invest in Cybersecurity Measures:
- Implement stronger encryption methods to
protect data. - Conduct regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Staff Training:
- Ensure all staff are trained in best practices for
cyber hygiene. - Foster a culture of security awareness within
the pharmacy.
Develop a Breach Response Protocol:
- Establish clear procedures for responding to data breaches.
- Minimize damage by acting swiftly and in compliance with legal reporting requirements.
Stay Informed:
- Keep up with the latest cybersecurity trends and threats.
- Subscribe to cybersecurity newsletters and attend relevant workshops.
(Source: pharmacypodcast.com)
More articles from the December 2024 issue:
- Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
- Patient Medication Reviews
- A New Direction for Continuous Glucose Monitors
- The Prevalence of Osteoarthritis
- Vaccine Overview 2024-25
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- PBMs Exposed
- Cybersecurity in Your Pharmacy
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