3 Reasons Cloud Computing is The Secure Option for Storing Healthcare Data

Healthcare organizations must follow strict rules regarding the confidentiality of patient data. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), healthcare providers must ensure their own systems, as well as any cloud systems they use to store data, have the appropriate security measures to safeguard patient information from data loss or theft. These strict regulations mean many organizations are reluctant to use cloud services to store and back up their data. In reality, cloud computing could bring some significant security benefits. Here are three reasons for healthcare providers to embrace cloud computing.

1. Cloud Computing Companies Are Security Experts

When healthcare providers outsource their data storage or backup to a cloud computing service provider, they can be sure they are putting it in the hands of experts. The sole mission of cloud computing companies is to store data securely and provide a reliable service to their users. This means they can devote all of their attention to learning about the latest cybersecurity threats and taking action to secure their systems against them. On the other hand, healthcare organizations have many goals besides data security to focus on. To ensure they are placing their data in the hands of security experts, it is a good idea for healthcare organizations to choose cloud service providers with a good reputation for providing secure services.

2. Cloud Computing Services Are Regularly Audited

Cloud computing providers carry out yearly audits to ensure their systems are secure. In comparison, healthcare organizations may go for years between audits. Between audits, new gaps in security could arise, giving hackers a chance to exploit those vulnerabilities and steal valuable medical information. By regularly carrying out thorough audits to assess the risks they face from the latest cybersecurity threats, cloud service providers can assure their customers sensitive data is safe and secure. Any healthcare organization worried about the security of their cloud service provider can ask about the results of the latest audit.

3. On-Premise Systems Are Not Necessarily Secure

Many healthcare organizations store data on their on-premise servers, believing this to be a more secure option than outsourcing their data storage needs to the cloud. However, it is important to remember on-premise systems are not necessarily secure. Many security breaches occur when hackers work out how to exploit a security loophole in a legacy system, which can lead to the loss of sensitive medical or financial information.

Keeping legacy systems up to date with all the latest security recommendations can be difficult, as the systems were not necessarily designed to withstand the modern landscape of cybersecurity threats. In addition, many businesses use a variety of different platforms to meet their IT needs, which can make it difficult to get a clear picture of the organization’s overall cyber risk. By outsourcing the storage of their secure data to a cloud service provider, healthcare businesses can rid themselves of the need to check and update security systems for an array of legacy systems. Instead, they can simply take advantage of the protection offered by the updates automatically installed by the cloud service provider. This could reduce the IT burden on the company, as well as help keep sensitive data secure.

At PARC Consulting, we value every company’s uniqueness and work to find creative solutions to IT infrastructure needs without any biases. To learn more about our successful results with other clients when it comes to vendor selection, please contact us.