3. Although keeping data on-site makes some
business and IT leaders feel more secure, keeping
data close to home doesn’t equate to higher security
levels. In fact, physical theft of on-site devices (and
their data) continues to dominate as the most likely
cause of healthcare breaches. More than 83% of
patient records breached in 2015 resulted from theft,
typically from criminals stealing unencrypted
laptops from health providers and their business
associates.
5. Similar to misconceptions about cloud security,
some health providers worry about data ownership
when using a third-party storage provider. In truth,
all data belongs to the provider regardless of where
it is stored. This is part of the standard agreement
between healthcare providers and cloud storage
vendors, with the vendor contractually obligated to
return all data whenever the provider wishes (e.g., if
the healthcare provider decides to end the
agreement). Additionally, best-in-class cloud
solutions are vendor-neutral, meaning encrypted
data is stored in its native format so it can be
downloaded in its original form for use at any time.
7. Although this is intuitive, it bears repeating for one
main reason: just because a vendor claims broad
capability across industries, it does not mean they
understand the regulatory requirements of the
healthcare landscape. Any vendor can claim their
solution is HIPAA-compliant, but very few cloud-
based storage and retrieval companies
are certified by a qualified agency who follows the
rigorous process required to gain certification.
8. The cloud should only be used as a
disaster recovery solution for
healthcare data
9. Using off-site cloud storage to ensure business
continuity when there is a disaster seems like a no-
brainer for many, but its benefits don’t stop there.
This is especially true in healthcare, where
information sharing and collaboration between
providers and with patients is key to timely
diagnosis and quality of care. Using a secure cloud-
based file-sharing service, doctors can share files
remotely and in real-time to consult with their
colleagues or specialists – without compromising
patient privacy.
11. Leveraging a cloud model to enable secure storage
and retrieval of health data need not be exorbitant in
cost. In fact, primary benefits over on-premise
solutions include both cost savings and scalability.
Cloud-based repositories are scalable as you grow;
often with pay-as-you-use pricing plans that offer
flexibility and eliminate upfront fees and capital
equipment expenses.