Hospitals & Medical Centers

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The nature of providing health care services is changing, particularly as the focus shifts from hospital-based care to providing care in more cost-effective settings. The introduction of the Affordable Care Act and other key drivers are making it increasing important for health care providers, and their supply companies, to reduce costs for customers and patients, says Greg Halvacs, the Chief Security Officer and Senior Vice President for Global Security, Flight Operations and Global Real Estate at Cardinal Health, a health care services company based in Dublin, Ohio.

Given an increase in violence in the hospital setting and continued attention on hospital security programs, there is a need to examine current hospital safety and security practices. 

Community Health Systems, which operates 206 hospitals around the U.S., announced today that in a recent data breach hackers stole data on 4.5 million patients, including names, Social Security numbers, addresses, birthdays and telephone numbers. The hackers did not steal information about patients’ medical histories, clinical operations or credit cards.

According to the 2014 Healthcare Crime Survey, commissioned by the International Association of Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation (IHSSFoundation), heavy violent crimes have spiraled up from 2012 to 2013.

California Senator Alex Padilla has introduced a bill to address violence against workers at hospitals and health facilities.

Badges are constructed to meet HIPAA, privacy and civil rights concerns – visitors’ last names are not included on badges, and generic room numbers are used as destination markers instead of departments (for example, badges declaring a destination of the “infectious disease” department).

Due to a number of complex issues which often include a lack of available dedicated psychiatric department beds, a growing population of persons with behavioral disorders and a decreased availability of treatment options due to budget reductions, boarding times of psychiatric or behavioral health patients has skyrocketed in recent years.

The Internet of Things is an unavoidable part of network topology today, but the connectivity of devices – not just laptops but medical equipment, printers and surveillance cameras – leaves enterprises open for cyber attacks.