October 27, 2021

By Lisa Carroll, Public Sector Lead, Microsoft Canada

The accelerated digital transformation brought on by COVID-19 has redefined the way healthcare organizations approach collaboration, virtual care and remote patient monitoring. In an industry that has historically been slower to innovate because of compliance and security concerns, we have seen extraordinary advancements with digital solutions that enable better experiences and more personalized care. This surge of innovation has generated an unprecedented amount of valuable health data, however, it’s important understand and address the increased potential for security risks.

 

In today’s digital era, cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated. Due to the highly sensitive nature of health data, including personally identifiable information (PII), the healthcare sector is a lucrative target for cyber criminals, creating complex fraud challenges and cybersecurity issues. For healthcare leaders, it’s critical to consider security and privacy as a foundation to all aspects of digital interaction from inception.

Securing Data: With this exponential growth in data, healthcare organizations must ensure there is a strategy in place that addresses how data is collected, stored and shared. Organizations must ensure that privacy-by-design and security-by-design principles are upheld.

Power of the Cloud: The right cloud technology makes it possible for healthcare providers to embrace innovation with minimized risk by adding a layer of protection across systems, devices and apps. With Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, healthcare providers can control access to sensitive information, leverage built-in data governance and privacy capabilities, as well as manage risk, detect fraud and lower unnecessary spending.

Gain Digital Skills: To maximize the potential of advanced technology and data, it’s important that healthcare providers have access to training that will provide them with fundamental digital skills and cybersecurity awareness. At Microsoft, we encourage people across the sector to take advantage of our free Virtual Training Days to gain new skills and unlock innovation in the healthcare industry. Sign up here: Microsoft Training Days