October 14, 2022
The market size of telehealth services is growing at a rapid rate and will continue to do so between 2022-2030 – at a CAGR of 45.1%. With this growing demand, there is always the issue of security as the patients' data is one of the most vital things the providers are dealing with. Companies need to work on their security to ensure the data is safe. Protected health information (PHI) results in significant loss financially and has adverse effects on the reputation. To effectively deal with these physician challenges, the providers need to remember some of the essential security measures as they will help in getting the desired results.
Data encryption is one of the most robust solutions in the healthcare sector as it doesn't allow unauthorized users to decrypt data. Data is transformed in the form of code so that even if it gets into the wrong hands, there will be no issues at all. This method is applied to both stored and transmitted patients' data. Data needs to be held in file-level or block-level encryption to get the maximum output.
It is one of the most powerful methods to secure data. This method is designed to regulate who and to what extent a person can access patient data. In this way, every user is assigned access per role, so access to data is limited. Whenever any provider is looking to integrate telehealth solutions, the right way is to look at all the security measures so there will be no issues.
Choosing telehealth solutions that regularly undergo vulnerability assessment and penetration testing procedures is the right approach. With this approach, the providers can quickly assess the overall security level of telehealth software. Getting high-quality services is the ultimate goal of every professional organization, but before choosing a telehealth solution, they just need to take a look at all the security measures to enjoy the best services.
Choosing a HIPAA-compliant solution is the right approach as it gives the peace that the patient's data is secured and will not be compromised. All communication devices and methods need to be secured to prevent any data from being captured by unwanted authorization.
Always prefer to choose telehealth software that transfers data using secure methods such as cloud-based platforms. These security measures will reduce the risks involved, and the provider will provide seamless care services without hassle. If the patients' data is not transmitted securely, there is a high risk involved as it can get intercepted by hackers to use it for malicious purposes.
The software will risk malware if the systems and computers used within the telehealth process are not secure. Providers need to choose software equipped with good security features to transmit the data safely.
Video conferencing is one of the most vital features of telehealth technology as it assists providers in conducting video sessions. But incorporating top-quality solutions will enable practitioners to have interruption-free telehealth visits. For this purpose, many highly integrated solutions are available that are designed to provide high-quality services.
Organizations need to set up guidelines and policies to protect PHI to neutralize telehealth security threats. To enhance the security of PHI, the providers need to integrate multi-factor authentication so that there will be a very low chance of security breaches.
Apart from the security point of view, there are some other factors as well that you need to take care of to deliver the best care possible. Some of those factors are stated below:
The best telehealth solution is one that is compatible with all devices. The solution must work smoothly and be reliable and flexible so that it can efficiently run on all the available platforms. A cloud-based solution is quite popular because it doesn't require in-house hardware.
The early days of moving to a new platform are pretty stressful and require continuous support. For this purpose, make sure to select a vendor that provides round-the-clock support to troubleshoot any issues. In this way, the providers will have peace of mind that they will be getting quality services and the support they need.
In this article, we have discussed the security measures to consider while choosing a telehealth solution. We have addressed all the major factors that can help select the best solution. From HIPAA-compliant solutions to data encrypted and workflow support, all the major points are discussed briefly to help readers make the right call.
