How to protect your medical data

We live in incredible times. Smart watches monitor our health and apps can track every meal. Technology and medical data are remarkably interconnected. But advances in digital health monitoring come with a major problem: cybersecurity threats.

As we consume and adapt to the latest innovations, we fail and expose our most personal data – our health data – to potential breaches. So let’s see how the latest technologies can help avoid this calamity.

Let’s understand why our health data is so sought after and find out what you can do to keep it private and safe.

Even though the data collected is in the form of zeros and ones, it represents much more. Data tells our personal health story. For doctors, this information is invaluable. This allows them to see major health trends, allowing them to provide more personalized care to each patient.

For tech companies, this data is a chance to innovate. Consider apps that not only track what you eat, but also give you personalized advice based on your unique genetics. It’s also a chance for them to monetize you. The more medical data they have about you, the better they can target you for their advertisers.

However, this wealth of information can attract cybercriminals. If they get their hands on our data, the consequences could be disastrous, ranging from privacy breaches to financial scams.

In addition to the financial damage a company can suffer, which can put it out of business, the personal consequences are enormous. I recently spoke with therapists who confirmed that patients had been psychologically devastated by having their personal information stolen during a hospital breach.

• Lorraine (not her real name) is considering moving. She was treated in hospital for an illness kept secret by her close-knit community.
• Michael (pseudonym) is a religious leader in his region. His wife is horrified at what will happen if her community finds out about the medical treatment her husband recently underwent, which no one outside the immediate family knows about.
• Sara (also not her real name) lives in a religious community and is devastated. She was recently treated for a sexually transmitted disease. If this data is disclosed by the hackers, she will no longer be eligible for marriage.

When it comes to a breach at a hospital, or any other business, most of the responsibility and ability to protect data rests with the institution itself rather than the individual. So, not much can be done about it.

That said, consumers can indirectly influence institutions through collective pressure and advocacy. If patients collectively demand higher cybersecurity standards and prioritize institutions that demonstrate better medical data protection, this may encourage hospitals and healthcare providers to invest more in infrastructure and practices cybersecurity.

The crux of the matter is that while individuals cannot directly control the cybersecurity practices of large institutions, they can influence change by being conscious consumers and advocating for stronger regulations at the policy level.

We know that businesses don’t want to spend money on things they don’t consider essential. In today’s world, cybersecurity in most organizations is not as much of a priority as it should be. With the help of local and federal governments and members of Congress, you, the consumer, can get things done. This won’t happen overnight. This will take time and we will experience many data breaches until we get there. But as consumers, we must begin this journey.

We live in a data-driven society and most of us are unaware of the consequences on our lives if this medical data becomes publicly available. To make our online world safer, we need to understand it better. Although the details of online security may seem confusing, they touch many aspects of our lives, from shopping to health records. For us, the best defense is to know more.

How to find out more?

1. Stay up to date with news

Not all of us are interested in tech news, especially data breaches in other parts of the country or world. Here’s an example: Why should we care about a virus outbreak in China? It’s so far from us, isn’t it? Keeping up to date with the latest technology and news will not only make you a more interesting person to chat with, but it will keep you on the cutting edge of technology and its implications on our daily lives.

Many local institutions offer free workshops on the digital landscape. It’s a practical way to understand the basics of cybersecurity and its broader implications. Don’t have one in your community? It’s a great idea to create one. Talk with some of the local IT and cybersecurity companies to start a monthly cybersecurity meetup/training.

3. Online courses

Platforms like Coursera host beginner-friendly courses on cybersecurity. The goal is not expertise but informed awareness.

4. Technical Discussions and Webinars

We live in a time that offers an abundance of virtual events. Listening to industry professionals can provide a clearer picture of the world of cybersecurity.

5. Educational advocacy

Encourage discussions about cybersecurity in schools. A foundation laid early fosters a future generation that is both tech-savvy and security-conscious.

Knowledge is not just power

In cyberspace, knowledge is above all a question of protection and security. By educating ourselves, we are better positioned to demand the digital security we deserve and to set a new direction for how organizations view and invest in cybersecurity.