Digital transformations that have enabled telehealth and remote work are pertinent during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they increase the risks of cyberattacks, CBS affiliate WLKY reported Oct. 21.
Five things to know:
- During the pandemic, Louisville, Ky.-based UofL Health has had about 700 employees working virtually. Although remote work flexibilities offer employees and patients greater convenience, it also creates more opportunities for hackers to breach the network.
- Steven Ramirez, chief information security officer for UofL Health, told WLKY that taking a remote approach is scary because "you see that almost every week that there's a hospital hit with ransomware," he said.
- Since the pandemic started in March 2020, the health system has managed to avoid a cyberattack and is working to keep its pandemic-induced digital innovations safe from hackers.
- "That's just something we are working to really ensure we are not a headline associated with that," Mr. Ramirez said. "We really had to put a strategy together. We had to look at our critical business function and see what was able to be supported from a remote standpoint."
- Mr. Ramirez said the hospitals' staff is stretched thin and stressed out.
"Our team takes that personal and really wants to make sure that we are doing everything we can to support them and have a secure platform for patient care," he told WLKY.