Last month, we hosted the iatricSystems Spring Exchange, where we brought together industry leaders and healthcare organizations to discuss today’s challenges. A big topic of discussion was how today’s hospitals leverage artificial intelligence and automation into their patient privacy monitoring process.

As we put 2020 in the rear-view mirror, the only way to see if we’re making progress is to take a quick glance back. The pandemic made hospitals a large target for malicious cyber threats, and when you look at the data, you’ll see the spikes of data breaches throughout the year.

It was recently announced that a ransomware group that stole sensitive data files during an October cyberattack on Chatham County’s government systems, released the information on the dark and light web. The group published two batches of data containing protected health information and personally identifiable information, which has been viewed more than 30,000 times.

Last year we all saw the resiliency of the healthcare system and how flexible health systems can be — and have to be — in order to continue to protect patients during a troublesome time. Technology was more critical than ever to keep workflows moving and connections strong.

Look back to 2020, and you’ll see that it was a record year for cyber breaches. The shift to working from home created new security gaps that most organizations weren’t prepared for. Match that with how reliant the healthcare industry is on internet-connected devices, telemedicine, and digital health records, and you’ll see how maintaining cybersecurity creates major roadblocks to improving patient care in organizational efficiency.

Your inbox has likely been filling up with the news of continuous data breaches of healthcare facilities across the United States. You know healthcare organizations are a prime target for cyber criminals – and the data agrees. According to Black Book Market Research, more than 93% of healthcare organizations have experienced a data breach in the past three years, with little signs of slowing down.

With the new year here, you likely have new goals. And the best way to get there is to look at the year’s past and see how you can evolve for the better. Becker’s Health IT recently released an article that covers 10 emerging trends in health IT for 2021.

In this blog, we’ll expand on some of the lessons learned from 2020 and offer educational resources and solutions to help you reach your goals in the New Year. Let’s dive in!

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been known to enhance the speed, precision and effectiveness of human efforts, so it makes sense that AI has found its place in almost every industry. The healthcare industry has seen AI success in wellness and care reminders, clinical decision support, patient privacy and more.

The iatricSystems Fall Exchange addressed various healthcare IT challenges covering topics such as privacy and security, clinical improvements and report writing. As we continue this blog series, you’ll learn key points and insight from industry experts and their discussions with healthcare leaders. You can also access all of the recorded privacy and security sessions here.