Health Information Technology Security and Encryption

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Understanding the Risks of eMRs and Internet Connectivity

[By Carol S. Miller; RN, MBA]Sun Micro

E-mails, PDA data, and Internet connectivity, unless encrypted, can be read by anyone.  Therefore, if these items are not encrypted, physicians should be careful of what they say and how they say it, especially when discussing any patient information with other providers, vendors, or managed care organizations. In addition, just because you deleted e-mail from the system does not mean that you have deleted it from the server or from the computers that maintain copies of your server’s data.  HIPAA regulations set forth the criteria in electronically transferring patient related data via the Internet.

Secure and Encrypt Messages and Health Information

If you want secure messages, an encryption program should be used. If the message is intercepted the text will be scrambled to anyone other than your intended recipient.  Most physicians feel encryption is too time consuming; however, programs such as Pretty Good Privacy at www.pgp.com provides an easy and nearly seamless integration into e-mail and operating systems, encrypting the sensitive files but still allowing ease of communication.  PCP software developed by MIT and endorsed by HIPAA, uses privacy and strong authentication.  Only the intended recipient can read the data.  If files were intercepted, they would be completely unreadable.  Other software programs are available in the marketplace that will work using a private key – similar to a password.  Tell the program the name of the file you want to encrypt and the private key, and the program uses a mathematical algorithm to encrypt the file.  For reference material on various encryption and security software programs, search the web under “encryption” or go to one of the following sites:  www.zixit.com, www.cisco.com, www.aspencrypt.com, or www.verisgn.com.  

Assessment

In addition to encryption, the office needs a good anti-virus program that is designed to detect and prevent viruses, such as Norton Anti Virus at www.symantec.com and McAfee VirusScan at www.mcafee.com 

Conclusion

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ISP Primer for Physicians

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Understanding Basic Access and Connectivity

By Carol S. Miller; RN, MBAbiz-book18

To connect with an Internet service, the medical office will need a computer, modem, telephone line and software.  The modem, either external via a connection or internal via a built-in or slot card, takes the digital signals from your computer and converts them to analog signals that your phone line uses.  As a rule of thumb, the faster the better; therefore, the office should have at least a 56 bps or use a DSL line.

Accessing the Internet

To access the Internet, the office must obtain an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as America Online (AOL), Earthlink, ATT Worldnet, Microsoft Network Premiere (MSN), Hot Link, or others.  The cost varies on the plan selected but usually averages in the range of $10 to $25 per month.  In selecting an ISP, several guidelines need to be considered:

 

  • The major online services often make it very easy to connect to the Internet, but may be more expensive;
  • Many low-priced ISPs may have customer service that matches their prices;
  • In selecting the ISP, make sure the provider has a toll-free or local support telephone line;
  • For a nationwide directory list of ISP providers, go to the Internet site of www.isp.com.

Besides the POTS (plain old telephone service), the physician may wish to have a faster connection to the Internet.  Several options are available.

Cable Modems

Cable connection is very fast, providing a lot of bandwidth (the amount of information that can be sent through a particular communication channel).  As an example, in the time it takes to transfer a half page across a 56K connection, the cable connection can transfer over 25 pages.  As is suggested by the name, the local cable TV provider or community antennae TV (CATV) deliver this service.

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Conclusion

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