Although 85 percent of small healthcare facilities feel their IT systems adequately limit the risk of a data breach, one-third of those facilities spend no more than 10 percent of their IT budget on protecting patient data, according to a survey conducted by CSID, a fraud detection technology provider.
The survey also found 16.7 percent of small healthcare facilities are concerned about losing patient data in the event of a breach, and 28.6 percent have a crisis plan in place.
"With the rise of electronic medical records, one weak link can be devastating for the whole system," said Joe Ross, president and co-founder of CSID. "This survey shows that smaller healthcare facilities may not have adequate resources or know-how to protect patient data, potentially putting these entities and their patrons at risk…It is going to be increasingly important for all healthcare facilities to proactively protect against medical data theft by implementing stronger security protocols and having a breach plan in place."
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