Top methods for healthcare organizations to reduce effects of data breach

A new executive briefing sponsored by Systematic Development Group brings to light the top seven methods that healthcare organizations should apply to reduce the effects of a data breach and minimize data breach insurance costs. Some hospitals may be surprised to find that although they have a data breach insurance policy in place, several of the biggest threats of a data breach may not be covered under the plan.

“Today it's conceivably not a matter of if a healthcare organization will experience a cyber attack or a data breach, it's more a question of when, how costly and how embarrassing it will prove to be.”

Christine Marciano, CEO of Cyber Data Risk Managers stated, "Today it's conceivably not a matter of if a healthcare organization will experience a cyber attack or a data breach, it's more a question of when, how costly and how embarrassing it will prove to be."

Healthcare data breaches are on the rise. From 2010 to 2011, the number of data breaches affecting healthcare organizations rose 32 percent, according to research by Ponemon Institute.

Of the 174 healthcare data breach incidents reported to the US Dept. of Health and Human Services since 2011, the average data breach cost is estimated at over $13 million.

Data breach insurance can help healthcare organizations greatly mitigate the disastrous costs associated with a data breach. Yet, if a breach occurs, the organization might still feel the full brunt of data breach costs. Potentially, common sources of a data breach may have been excluded from policies due to lacking hospital security processes and procedures, such as use of proper encryption on portable devices.

The executive briefing, The Top 7 Methods That Can Minimize Your Data Beach Costs and Drastically Reduce Data Breach Premiums is available for free to healthcare organizations and can be downloaded at http://www.lok-it.net/7-methods

"The Top 7 Methods briefing offers the healthcare industry a lot of value. I definitely see where these recommendations will help protect an organization and save them money," stated Adam Birnbaum, Healthcare Compliance Manager.