Information Systems Operations and Analysis
The protection of patient records is a critical responsibility of hospitals. There have been numerous laws that have been developed by the government to ensure that data is protected. Thus, every institution has to take the responsibility of ensuring that data is protected in every situation. The sensitivity of the data that is contained in patient records is critical since it might give information about a patient that is personal and might, at some point, relate to their finances. Thus, any breach can have significant effects on patients. The three incidences that have been described in the essay show how protecting patient data is a critical responsibility of every institution. The data collected from hacking can easily be used against the patients. Also, institutions can be held at ransom if their systems are hacked. Thus, they should ensure that they develop a system that cannot be easily hacked. Besides, having a backup system that will assist in hacking is a critical step in ensuring that processes do not stall in case of hacking. Instances such as the case pointed out in on the Presbyterian Medical Center Cyber attack can be avoided if there is an alternative system. Another critical aspect of ensuring data security is to educate employees in a hospital system on how to utilize the system without putting it in jeopardy. Most employees might click on links that are sent to them without verifying if such links are legitimate. Thus, they endanger the systems unknowingly because of a lack of proper information. If employees understand how to use the system well and avoid going to websites that might be dangerous to the organization, they will protect the patients’ information from any malicious people.