Future-Proofing Healthcare Data: Leveraging Cloud Platforms for Robust Data Protection

In healthcare, data is the primary keeper of information. Data in healthcare has high sensitivity and large volume, so cybercriminals and insiders might be interested in hacking the organization. The factors of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data are paramount to trust creation and meeting regulatory standards. In this blog, we provide guidance on how cloud data platforms can help protect your organization against data risks and how such solutions can foster innovation. 

The Rising Threat Landscape 

According to the IBM Ponemon Institute’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, Healthcare leads to costly data breaches. Healthcare data breaches come with a steep price tag. While the average data breach cost across industries is $4.45 million, healthcare’s average cost is $10.93 million, marking a 53.3% increase over three years.  

Notably, payer organizations account for nearly half of the reported breaches to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in 2023.  In 2023, over 100 data breaches were reported to the OCR, impacting over 40 million individuals.  

These breaches not only invade patient or member privacy but also lead to huge financial losses and a loss in reputation for the organization. We should not forget that patient privacy is not merely a statutory requirement but more intrinsically a basic ethical calling at the heart of healthcare. Another advantage of cloud data platforms is that they have robust security measures to realize data security, therefore addressing any form of ethical consideration and a feeling of reassurance. A robust cloud data platform would protect your organization against such multi-faceted threats, providing it with enterprise-grade reassuring security.  

Protecting Data from Internal and External Threats 

In healthcare security, the threats come from outside of cyber-attacks and some internal leaks or thefts caused by staff negligence. A cloud data platform provides all the necessary tools to keep the physical infrastructure secure and offers a complex security solution for the internal data breaches problem. There are servers with the Extended edition of Windows server which can help secure data. In the case of a failure, the built-in shield can be simply started. A great new feature is the ability to shield a single virtual machine, not simply the whole Hyper-V host! 

• Advanced Security Features: The types of cloud are deployed where the user interests, technologies, and other parameters allow it. The service is accessible from a cloud, sanctions list, or sandbox. Moreover, the different types of cloud storage, such as SAN, NAS, etc., are yet another risk that should be managed. 

• Continuous Monitoring: Thanks to cloud services, businesses can improve their operations and increase customer satisfaction. The use of Cloud Security Solutions reduces users’ cost of ownership. Furthermore, it can create a business for the cloud service provider, which is verified by the cloud CSP of the payment token. The payment token can then be used to request authenticity in the future. This is the kind of feature that makes Cloud resources so relevant. 

• Zero Downtime: Cloud platforms are now designed to always be accessible, even if maintenance or unexpected outages occur. This is critically important for healthcare establishments that rely on them for timely patient medication and do not want any errors in the information data. 

In addition, cloud platforms are usually subjected to strict and thorough third-party audits and certifications by bodies like HIPAA and HITRUST, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. 

Best Practices for AI Innovation 

AI is transforming healthcare by providing insights and automating processes. However, moving data to external AI services can introduce security risks. Instead, bring AI to your data within a secure cloud environment: 

• Integrated AI Capabilities: Many cloud data platforms come with built-in AI and machine learning tools, allowing you to analyze data without leaving a secure environment. Modern health cloud platforms Inovaare provide robust tools and AI Model Builders for data scientists and healthcare professionals. 

• Data Privacy and Compliance: Keeping data within your cloud infrastructure ensures that you remain compliant with regulations like HIPAA, protecting patient privacy while leveraging AI. This approach minimizes the risk of data breaches and ensures patient data is handled securely. 

• Scalable Resources: Cloud platforms come with a scalable computer, letting you use demanding AI without the slightest hitch in the security issue. There are scalable EC2 instances for even more complex and massive data processing and computations in AWS. 

Artificial Intelligence is integrated into the cloud environment; it will lead to innovation while not breaking the strict rules of security and compliance.  

Cloud Computing and Cybersecurity Governance 

In the traditional cybersecurity model, the human-operated processes attract a huge amount of errors caused by human carelessness. Cloud computing brings a new perspective with automated governance: 

• Automated Compliance Checks: In the cloud, the entire space of law, enforcement, and control of laws have been computerized and audits are performed automatically thereby reducing the risk of human error. Tools like AWS Config and Azure Policy enable continuous compliance monitoring and automated remediation of non-compliant resources. 

• Policy-Based Access Control: Deploy fine-grain access that automatically reconfigures them as per the user roles and the context, thus allowing only the authorized personnel to have access to sensitive data. Role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) are the widely used mechanisms to enforce such policies. 

• Incident Response Automation: Automate incident response processes to swiftly contain and mitigate the impact of security incidents. Services like AWS Lambda and Azure Functions can automate the execution of predefined actions in response to security alerts, significantly reducing response times. 

Automating cybersecurity governance also frees up valuable IT resources to focus on strategic initiatives. 

Adopting a Zero-Trust Security Posture 

A zero-trust security system operates under the premise that any node is vulnerable to digital threats coming from anywhere. Hence, neither the external nor internal entities are seen as inherently trustworthy in a zero-trust model because they might be the source of the next attack. Furthermore, such an approach will make an enterprise stay more observant and prepared for new technologies and cybersecurity concerns. 

The rundown of zero trust technique covers the subsequent stages: 

• Identity Verification: Opting for continuous authentication helps in the smooth functioning of your network, and no foe will move ahead. Furthermore, it gives the power to users to make a new password and easily without security staff. Components such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO) are coupled with the mentioned requirement method. It could be the end of a zero-trust implementation if these two are not in place. 

• Microsegmentation: Subdivide your network through multiple compartments (segments) and properly control them through setting a high level of security thresholds and thus struggling to the attackers’ movement sidelong. Networking tools like VMware NSX and Cisco ACI support microsegmentation and extend the overall security of a network. 

• Behavioral Analytics: AI-driven behavioral analytics that identifies anomalies and potential threats from deviations of normal behavior patterns. Tools such as Splunk and Darktrace track activities against normal behavior to segregate suspicious activities and probable threats. 

Protecting healthcare data calls for a multi-dimensional approach: advanced technology and best practice in protecting healthcare data. These are end-to-end security features that support innovation through built-in AI capabilities, automate cybersecurity governance, and fast-track a zero-trust security posture. Healthcare institutions should leverage these very means in ensuring that their most prized possession is the integrity, security, and availability of data. 

This demands constant improvement in all security measures to stay ahead, precisely in fast-evolving threat landscapes. Cloud data platforms are purpose-built to provide robust protection, empowering innovation so you can deliver better patient outcomes and remain in compliance with regulatory requirements. 

Inovaare Health Cloud Platform 

The Inovaare Health Cloud Platform is one such operator, imbuing a rich, secure, and scalable solution tailored uniquely to address the healthcare mission. With end-to-end functionality, state-of-the-art AI capabilities, automated compliance checks, and zero-trust security measures, the Inovaare Health Cloud empowers healthcare organizations with easy ways to protect data, drive innovation, and stay compliant. 

Ready to protect your healthcare data and power innovation? Contact us today to learn how the Inovaare Health Cloud Platform could change your organization. Visit www.inovaare.com or write to sales@inovaare.com to arrange a demo and explore the future of protecting healthcare data. 

For more insights on protecting your healthcare data and leveraging cloud technology, please reach us at 1.408.850.2235.  

Keeping your data secure is our top priority