Since the arrival of COVID-19, it’s become more and more apparent that the use of telemedicine is only going to continue to increase. With this increase comes the risk of more cyber threats targeting health care apps. Throughout this blog series, we looked into why health care data security is so important.

In the first blog in this series, we examined the key differences between connected health technologies and why with the increasing risks to privacy, cybersecurity and software, the need for security is essential.

Our second blog dug a little deeper and looked into the different types of connected medical devices and the basics of privacy and security of data now with the world being more connected through digital medical devices than ever before.

Next, in our third blog, we looked into how COVID-19 changed the telemedicine market overnight, resulting in a significant increase in the demand for telemedicine and the potential increase in the risk of cyber threats. With this increase in cyber threats, telemedicine app developers and vendors need to implement strategies to ensure they meet all the compliance regulations detailed in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect their clients and themselves. To help meet these requirements, we proposed a few cybersecurity tips which could be implemented to protect their apps data.

Lastly, we reviewed the key HIPAA compliance criteria and why it is essential to comply to ensure the preservation of patient privacy and information security. We touched upon the average penalty for a HIPAA violation, whom HIPAA applies to and why Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI) are such lucrative targets for attacks.

So, what can we take from all of this?

When we look at all this information as a whole, the message couldn’t be more explicit: telemedicine mobile app data security is essential in today’s world. With the new way the world is operating since COVID-19, the need for app developers and vendors to implement cybersecurity strategies to meet HIPPA compliance regulations and to protect patients’ privacy and information security is essential now more than ever. The use of telemedicine mobile apps is rapidly growing and without taking the proper measures, the consequences could be catastrophic.

If the right cybersecurity measures aren’t taken, and if a telemedicine app PHI data is stolen, vendors and app developers could face millions of dollars in fines for being in violation of HIPAA regulations; not to mention brand and reputation damage. A minimalistic and “good-enough” approach to address health care data security is simply a recipe for disaster. In order to provide a secure environment for both patients and caregivers, telemedicine vendors need to adopt a “strong-enough” approach instead of just “good- enough”. Good-enough is NOT good-enough to protect patients’, caregivers, or your remote care business!

This is the concluding blog for our Telehealth and Telemedicine Security series. Sign up here to stay up to date with these posts and to receive more information on this important topic directly to your inbox.