The healthcare industry has always been concerned with security. As government moves further and further into the healthcare system, it will become an even greater concern. One of the main challenges of the government’s healthcare plan is to computerize health records without jeopardizing the privacy of citizens. Some believe it will lead to great organization and less spending on record keeping. Others believe it is very dangerous and an infringement on civil and privacy rights. No matter where you stand, it is important to take into consideration how the field is going to change. IT professionals are making every effort possible to design secure systems for the transition to computerized healthcare. ISO 27001 is one of the systems they intend to use. It is an information security management system (ISMS) and will help protect the health information of people across the country.

Electronic medical records are on the way. Billions of dollars are being invested into programs to create secure electronic records and implement them as efficiently as possible. Healthcare IT workers much create secure systems so patients feel confident while also abiding by the government regulations lay out by the healthcare laws. A formal security system directly relating to healthcare is now a necessity.

This is one of the first times formal investments are being made in IT security. Usually they are done on the per company basis. Since all hospitals and healthcare providers across the country will be forced to use the same system, they need something that manages risk, complies with relevant legislation, and offers information to doctors, no matter where they are located. The system’s goal is to preserve the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of physical and electronic assets. At the moment, there are less than 85 domestic companies using systems like this. In contrast, there are more than 3,000 firms in Japan using similar software programs like this.

To implement a new system can be challenging because it must be done from the top of the company down. The CEO of a given company needs to utilize the programs, but we all know how challenging it can be to get upper management to embrace new software programs. In this case, using the software needs to be the goal of the company. This is the only way it will work. If only a few people use the software and others rely on old methods of doing things, it will jeopardize security and put the health of the patient at risk.

Implementing new systems takes time and effort. This is one of the main concerns with the federal healthcare program. It might seem nice to offer healthcare options to everyone, but it needs to be done as efficiently as possible. There are layers of challenges healthcare facilities will face that may or may not have been taken into account by legislators. These security issues were certainly not taken into account by those championing for “free” healthcare among the citizens. Any healthcare professional will guarantee you that no drastic change such as this could ever be free.

Penny Lane recently searched the term ISO 27001 online while conducting research for an article. She searched the term ISMS online to learn more about it.

For more information about ISO 27001 go to
http://efortresses.com/services.htm .

Author Bio: Penny Lane recently searched the term ISO 27001 online while conducting research for an article. She searched the term ISMS online to learn more about it.

Category: Internet
Keywords: ISO 27001,ISMS