Brad Gallagher, Health Care Controversies Team co-leader, was interviewed for the Pharmacy Technology Report article “Protect Patient Data From Cyber Threats.” The article explores how pharmacies large and small are common targets of cyberattacks due to their wealth of patient financial and health information.
Hackers and cybercriminals are employing more sophisticated methods to extract sensitive information from pharmacies. “We’ve had pharmacies call us absolutely panicked; they’re allegedly being accused of professional misconduct,” Brad said. “The letters and signatures look legitimate because they’ve been cut and pasted from public documents. If you’re a busy pharmacist in a store working, and something comes in the fax machine, you might make a call, and then you start handing over information.”
The article also provided the following tips for how pharmacies can protect themselves from cyberattacks:
- Develop, implement, and monitor a cybersecurity plan.
- Review and update the cybersecurity plan at least annually, and conduct staff trainings and spot checks to test employees on cybersecurity knowledge.
- Vet all the vendors you work with to ensure they’re compliant.
- Have a breach plan.
Click here to read the full article.