Why healthcare organizations should invest in Identity now more than ever

In an era of increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, healthcare remains one of the most targeted industries. Data breaches jeopardize patient privacy and disrupt critical care services — underscoring the need for robust cybersecurity measures. Among these includes having a comprehensive strategy for Identity and Access Management (IAM) to protect all of the players in your ecosystem.

The growing threat landscape

The healthcare industry holds a wealth of sensitive data, including personal health information (PHI), financial data (PCI), and personally identifiable information (PII) like Social Security Numbers — making it a prime target for cybercriminals and bad actors. According to the OCR Breach Report, as of March 5th, more than 13.2 million breacheshave happened this year. In 2023 alone, we saw 525 healthcare-specific breaches, which impacted over 120 million individuals.

Breaches can cause a devastating impact, leading to significant financial losses, reputational damage, and loss of patient trust. As digital care platforms and other forms of technology continue to expand, vulnerability to attacks grows, increasing the need for stringent cybersecurity protocols.

The consequences of vulnerability

A single data breach can have far-reaching consequences. For healthcare organizations, the effects range from regulatory penalties to operational disruptions. For patients, there’s the risk of Identity theft and the unauthorized use of PHI. 

While multiple cyberattacks and breaches like this have happened, let’s look at two recent examples of breaches that have caused significant disruption in the US healthcare ecosystem:

1. The first breach came from a vendor that provides multiple services, like revenue cycle management solutions, that connect payers, providers, and patients. This vendor processes billions of healthcare transactions per year. It fell victim to a ransomware attack that crippled the healthcare system by delaying billing and claims settlement. The attack caused a widespread impact and is said to have affected most of the US healthcare ecosystem².

   The attack likely could have been mitigated with Identity features that bolster and help secure vulnerabilities in infrastructure, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). The fallout has been significant — resulting in U.S. Senate committee hearings and a push to establish more stringent cybersecurity standards. The event is expected to have a significant financial cost.
    

2. The second breach example comes from a large healthcare system that provides services across multiple states. This organization was also attacked by ransomware that disabled multiple online systems. All key stakeholders (physicians, nurses, non-clinical staff, etc.) were unable to access vital information and resources, having to revert to antiquated practices of the 80s and 90s, such as writing all of their notes on paper, which caused significant delays in patient care.

   This breach has affected the communities the healthcare system serves. For example, ambulances in at least one of their served counties have been diverting patients to other hospitals. This can create a problem in its own right, as these organizations can reach capacity and continue to drive delayed care.

These examples highlight the urgent need for an effective strategy that bolsters infrastructure.

Why an IAM strategy is essential

IAM solutions play a crucial role in healthcare by managing and securing user identities and access rights across various systems and applications. By ensuring only authorized individuals can access sensitive information, IAM solutions can mitigate the risk of breaches such as those listed in the examples above. Features such as MFA, SSO, Universal Login, and others safeguard highly sensitive patient data.

Learn more about IAM from Okta

The increasing number of cyberthreats in healthcare makes it increasingly important for organizations to adopt robust cybersecurity measures and strategies. IAM solutions like those offered by Okta are critical in this fight, helping ensure that sensitive information remains secure and that organizations can continue to offer safe, uninterrupted care.

Prioritizing cybersecurity strategies and integrating them into your organization is a monumental task. To learn more about how you can improve your digital security without sacrificing your patient experience, contact Okta today.