Posts

Healthcare Establishing Customer Security Programs

/in /by

Consumers really get stiffed when there’s a data breach, having to change their passwords, replace credit cards, and other bothersome tasks, not to mention the grief over stolen personal information.

10DHealthcare organizations (a prime target of cyber criminals for several reasons) need to think beyond the approach of, “Here’s how we’re protecting your data,” and shift their way of thinking to, “We are dead serious about our customers’ security.”

This is how healthcare organizations can be truly proactive. While organizations can’t reveal too much information about their security plans (since this can make it easier for exploitation), they DO need to be generous with candid messages about how vital it is to protect consumer data.

Throwing around the same generic, recycled language about “Here’s what we’re doing to protect you” no longer cuts it and doesn’t build a lot of trust in the consumer. Instead, organizations should impress upon consumers their devotion to security in meaningful and understandable ways.

Consumer security should be free to the customer. This will delight consumers and help ease their anxieties over data safety, while setting the organization apart from its competitors. That’s how to put the brand’s reputation at the top and build customer loyalty.

Key Features of a solid customer security program

  • Information must be protected at the time of sign-up/data collection, and protected should data be lost.
  • Being accountable for a data recovery and restoration in the event of a breach; this will build customer loyalty.
  • Financial loss must be recovered.
  • Credit reports must be restored.

According to AllClear ID, here is how healthcare organizations can make an impression on their customers:

  • Implementation of the most current IT practices should be done because it is paramount to secure mobile devices, access points, databases, cloud services, etc., and to better keep tabs on systems for breaches.
  • The security of employees’ personal mobiles and the organization’s devices needs to be stronger.
  • Employee training must be improved, from the bottom up, to reduce mistakes.
  • HIPAA compliance needs to be reinforced.
  • An identity protection plan must be created so that potential customers will have confidence in enrolling and feel less anxious about the fallout of a security breach.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClear ID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

Healthcare Providers: Customer Security is Good Marketing

/in /by

Consumers are on red alert about sharing personal data with businesses, thanks to the widespread publicity of major data breaches. As a result, many consumers feel trapped when they know they must reveal personal information just to get basic quotes for healthcare services.

2PTo get a quote, the potential customer must fork over a Social Security number and birthdate—enough information for a thief to use to commit fraud and identity theft.

Consumers feel as if there’s no escape: Data can be stolen at any point: over the landline phone or smartphone, on “trusted” websites, in servers … thieves are just waiting to pounce. So even though a potential (or current) customer has faith in an organization, the customer may be afraid of the pathways they must use to interact with the organization.

Stolen healthcare information is a goldmine for cyber criminals. It’s big business. This means that protecting it is big business.

A way for healthcare organizations to set themselves apart from their competition is to put a big premium on caring about the customer’s data security. You can’t be nonchalant. You must create a striking impression of sincere concern.

Consumers need a lot more than just hearing how well you’ll reduce employee negligence, enforce HIPAA compliance and create methods of foiling cyber attacks.

Of course, consumers need assurance you’re doing the aforementioned tasks, but consumers also want to know what the healthcare organization will do in the event of a breach.

AllClear ID outlines the key strategies that will make a big impression on current and potential enrollees in a healthcare plan:

  1. The most state-of-the-art IT practices must be brought on board so that all facets are secured, such as cloud services, computers and smartphones.
  2. All levels of personnel must receive training to minimize errors and be able to comfortably discuss data security with customers
  3. A stronger security system must be set in place for the business’s computers and the employees’ personal devices.
  4. Adherence to HIPAA policies must be improved.
  5. Potential customers must be made aware that the company offers an identity protection plan—as this will ease apprehension in the potential consumer.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClear ID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.