NOT SECURE: e-Dental Records?

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Darrell Pruitt DDS

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Less than a week after the American Dental Association pushed dentists to adopt electronic dental records, Infosecurity Magazine announced “Record Numbers of Ransomware Victims Named on Leak Sites.”

So whom does the ADA protect? It’s not dentists and their patients.

READ: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-victims-leak-sites/

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BEWARE: Ransomware Attacks in Healthcare

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

HHS CYBER SECURITY PROGRAM

By Staff Reporters

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According to Healthcare Brew, the rising tide of ransomware attacks in healthcare is exacting a hefty price from hospitals and other medical providers who’ve had their data locked up by cyberattacks.

Healthcare providers face potential costs arising from more than just the initial ransom; targeted systems have seen lost patient revenue, the need for remediation, and additional recovery costs. And even the largest health systems in the country aren’t immune to the costly ripple effects, such as delayed patient care, including surgeries, that can linger even after an initial attack.

“Not only is the frequency [of ransomware attack] picking up, but I’d say the magnitude or the size is also getting bigger,” said Brian Tanquilut, a healthcare services analyst at Jefferies.

CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest hospital chains, was hit with a high-profile cyberattack in October. The system has not publicly disclosed the financial fallout, but a Dec. 1 update published on the company’s website said that the cyberattackers gained access to personal information for some patients and that an investigation is ongoing. Chad Burns, a spokesperson for CommonSpirit, declined requests for an interview.

A report from the cybersecurity firm Sophos determined that “the average remediation cost [from a ransomware attack] went up from $1.27 million in 2020 to $1.85 million in 2021.” For others, it’s much more costly.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

Tenet Healthcare, a Dallas-based healthcare company, reported a loss of about $100 million attributed to a ransomware attack in April, according to its second-quarter earnings report. San Diego-based Scripps Health said a ransomware attack cost it nearly $113 million in May and June 2021 primarily due to lost revenue, along with recovery costs. Keep reading here.

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ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Information-Technology-Security/dp/0826149952/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254413315&sr=1-5

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DENTAL DATA BREACH: Paper is Safer – It Always has Been!

Posted on June 3, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Darrell K. Pruitt DDS

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PAPER IS SAFER – IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN!

“9M dental patient records published following LockBit ransomware attack”

–By Duncan Riley for Silicone Angle, May 30th, 2023
READ: https://siliconangle.com/2023/05/30/9m-dental-patient-records-published-following-lockbit-ransomware-attack/

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We knew digital dental records were never safe, even though our trusting patients had no idea. I started warning dentists about sudden public rejection of electronic dental records over a decade ago. In fact, that is why the Texas Dental Association suspended my membership.

It’s the start of the predictable end of digital records in most dental offices. The TDA and the ADA were repeatedly warned, but chose to say nothing about the comparative security of paper to dues-paying members. In fact, the American Dental Association marketed its own digital dental record system until a few years ago when over 500 dental practices using their system were hacked. Then the ADA quietly sold it.

“The records of nearly 9 million people have been published online following a LockBit ransomware attack on Managed Care of North America. The company, also known as MCNA Dental, is a leading provider of dental plans in the U.S., serving private employers, individuals and families through a range of Medicare, long-term and commercial plans. MCNA is also the largest dental insurer for government-sponsored Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program, programs.”

The question is, what will this news do to huge, multi-location dental franchises such as Aspen Dental, Monarch, Medicare and other discount dentistry centers. Dentists have proven they can run successful, large practices using pegboards, ledger cards and bulky, loud metal filing cabinets without risking their patients’ privacy.

By the way, my practice is accepting new patients. Oh yea: TDA, you still owe me $200 in prorated dues for the remainder of the year you kicked me out. Idiots!

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