by medicaltechont | Apr 30, 2016 | Medical Records, Security, Technology
As was summarized in this publication’s introduction to the first article in this two-part series on the ransomware crisis, published on April 18, ransomware has blossomed into a crisis-level phenomenon recently in U.S. healthcare. The first nationally reported mainstream media news story in this drama was that around Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. On Friday, February 12, NBC4News, the local affiliate of the NBC network in Los Angeles, reported in its noon and evening broadcasts, and then online, this story: “Hollywood Hospital ‘Victim of Cyber Attack.’” And since that moment, ransomware attacks have rarely been out of the mainstream media headlines, with revelations of attacks that have brought down electronic health record (EHR) and other clinical and operational information systems at the 10-hospital Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health (first media report March 28), as well as at Methodist Hospital in Henderson, Ky. (first news report March 21), Alvarado Hospital Medical Center in San Diego, and Chino (Calif.) Valley Medical Center and Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, Calif. (news stories on March 31), and Kings Daughters Health in Marion, Ind. (first news report Apr. 1).
Read more at http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/article/facing-ransomware-crisis-what-healthcare-it-leaders-need-do-right-now
by medicaltechont | Apr 27, 2016 | eHealth, EHR, hackers, Privacy, Security, Software
The growing concern with ransomware attacks at hospitals is provisionally a healthcare IT problem, but as the number of such attacks grows, it will quickly become a financial one as well.
Just a single ransom sum has been disclosed: Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles paid the equivalent of about $17,000 in bitcoin to free up its computer systems last month.
That may not have been a wise move: Steve King, chief operating officer with Netswitch Technology Management, a Northern California consulting firm that focuses on healthcare IT and security issues, told me last month that paying ransoms would set a precedent that would embolden hackers looking for paydays.
“The more they comply with these ransom demands, the more frequently we’re going to get these kinds of attacks,” King told me. He suggested it might be preferable for some hospitals to simply replace their existing IT systems than succumb to ransoms.
Read more at http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/ransomware-attacks-hospitals-need-weigh-bottom-line-or-just-take-some-basic/2016-03-28
by medicaltechont | Apr 25, 2016 | e-Health, eHealth, EHR
Over the course of 2015, countless data breaches occurred within hospital networks, health insurers, physicians’ offices, and other organizations in the healthcare industry. In fact, Community Health Systems, Premera and Anthem were just a few of the most notable names who made cybersecurity headlines last year. More than 94 million records were exposed as the result of attacks varying in sophistication, which ranged from standard, employee-targeted breaches, to more complex methods carried out by scheming hackers.
It’s widely agreed upon that hackers target industries that hold valuable, sensitive and extremely personal data. It follows, then, that the healthcare industry is one of those targeted sectors, and has been for quite some time, due to its treasure trove of private information including mailing addresses, family histories, medical conditions, social security numbers and much more.
But with attacks increasing in both size and complexity, it’s time to more closely examine the healthcare industry, in particular electronic health record (EHR) providers.
Read more at http://hitconsultant.net/2016/04/11/preparing-ehr-vendors-cyber-threats/
by medicaltechont | Apr 24, 2016 | Technology
The list of cancers being taken down by immunotherapy keeps growing.
NEW ORLEANS – New immunotherapy drugs are showing significant and extended effectiveness against a broadening range of cancers, including rare and intractable tumours often caused by viruses. Researchers say these advances suggest the treatment approach is poised to become a critical part of the nation’s anti-cancer strategy.
Read more at http://news.nationalpost.com/health/the-list-of-cancers-being-taken-down-by-immunotherapy-keeps-growing.
by medicaltechont | Apr 24, 2016 | Healthcare, United States
As the search for everlasting beauty marches on, advancements in medical technology now offer more paths to the fountain of youth than ever.
“You need to match the person to the treatment,” said Brian Perkins, manager of his father’s Evolutions Medical Spa, which offers minimally invasive beauty enhancements. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all.” His dad, cosmetic surgeon Dr. Terry Perkins, credits the spa’s success to detailed consultations, explaining, “You need to look at it not only medically but artistically.”
More than a decade ago, with new technologies constantly hitting the market, Dr. Perkins saw options for less invasive treatments, quicker recovery times, and more natural-looking lifts. So he decided to branch his surgical practice into a medical spa, opening Evolutions in 2004. It quickly outgrew several locations but now thrives inside a 6,000-square-foot building at 350 Chapala Street, home to both the day spa (facials, massages, body wraps, scrubs, etc.) and the medical spa.
“We end up getting really good results consistently because we have good technology,” said Brian. Here’s a sampling of that tech.
Read more at http://www.independent.com/news/2016/apr/20/beauty-and-tech-merge-evolutions-medical-spa/
