Your patients trust you with their personal matters, but can they trust you with their data?
Cybersecurity for therapists may not be the first thing that comes to mind when protecting patient information, but it is critical. Healthcare providers are one of the biggest targets for cyberattacks and crime due to the sensitive information they hold and the potential for disruption. While it may seem like big corporations might be a bigger target, your therapy practice can be an easy target for cyber criminals, but only if you let it.
Let’s talk about why cybersecurity for therapists is so important and how you can better protect your practice and your patients.
Why Cybersecurity Should Be a Priority for Therapy Practices
HIPAA Compliance and Confidentiality
When it comes to patient information, data security is not just a nice suggestion. Under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), protected health information (PHI) needs to be kept safe from information sharing without the patient’s permission. This includes session notes, diagnoses, and personal data stored in records.
Limited Internal IT Resources for Small Practices
While larger practices may have a dedicated internal team, many small practices have few additional employees besides counselors, therapists, a receptionist, and a bookkeeper. If your practice does have an internal IT member, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to handle everything you need on their own. Working with a managed IT service provider can help you get adequate cybersecurity for therapists.
Cloud-Based EHR and Telehealth Platforms
There are many new technologies that have accelerated growth in the healthcare space. Therapists can now incorporate Electronic Health Records (EHR) and telehealth services into their practice, making patient access to records and services easier than ever. It’s essential to keep these new platforms secure and encrypted, so patients’ PHI is safe.
Remote Work and the Multi-Device Risk
Another benefit of improved technology is the ability to work from home or visit patients in places where they feel comfortable. During these out-of-office times, when you might be using multiple devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones, it’s critical to keep those devices secure.
Cybersecurity Best Practices Every Therapy Practice Should Implement
Keeping your systems secure takes effort, but there are many things that you can implement to help.
1. Use Strong, Unique Passwords and Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
One of the simplest ways to keep your data safe is by using strong, unique passwords. Avoid using the same or similar passwords for multiple websites, and make sure you store any passwords in a safe place.
Adding multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also a fantastic strategy. When you use MFA, you set up a second layer of defense and verify any password logins with a fingerprint, one-time passcode, or something similar. That way, if someone does access your login information, your account is still protected.
2. Encrypt All Sensitive Data
Cybersecurity for therapists starts with encryption. This is the process of turning readable information into unreadable information (that is, without proper credentials). Encryption protects data as it is stored or transferred so unwanted parties cannot read it, even if they find a way to access it.
High-quality EHR and telehealth platforms often include encryption by default, but it’s always a good idea to confirm that yours does too.
3. Stay Alert for Email Scams
Social and email scams are ways hackers try to trick you into giving your personal information. While they can be convincing, keeping an eye out for unusual sender addresses, grammatical errors, or urgent requests for information can help you spot scams.
For example, if you get an email from a coworker asking for your phone number, but your company’s name in her email is spelled wrong, it’s likely a scam.
4. Regularly Update Software and Devices
One of the reasons there seem to be so many updates for computers and phones is that there are new improvements in technology and security. The longer a platform is around, the longer hackers have to try to infiltrate that platform. Regular updates with security patches can keep your systems protected.
5. Use Secure Communication Channels
If you work anywhere outside the office, you should take extra precautions to ensure that your patient information is safe. Working at a cafe that provides free public internet or accessing systems remotely could leave you vulnerable. Making sure data is encrypted or using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can give you greater protection and peace of mind.
6. Protect Your Therapy Notes and Records
Records from therapy sessions are considered PHI and require safeguarding under HIPAA. This means you need to protect both physical records at an office and any content stored in the cloud virtually. Because healthcare organizations collect this personal data, they are targets for cyberattacks. The biggest data breach to date happened in 2024 when Change Healthcare was attacked with ransomware, affecting 190 million individuals.
7. Educate Your Staff on Cyber Hygiene
Your staff can be a liability or an asset when it comes to healthcare cybersecurity. Without proper training, they could fall victim to phishing scams, malware attacks, or password theft. With thorough training, they can help prevent potential breaches or attacks by recognizing threats.
Many companies provide training during onboarding and others have regular refreshers. Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October) is a great time for annual training on new threats.
8. Backup Your Data Frequently
Regular data backups can save you from potential catastrophes like natural disasters, hacking, and ransomware. Keeping your data safe and up to date means you have access to correct and current information for data recovery. This simple practice is easy to implement and can have major consequences.
9. Work with a Trusted IT Partner
If you want to improve your healthcare cybersecurity, get extra maintenance support, or have a limited IT budget, working with a managed IT services partner can be a great option. Managed IT providers can proactively monitor your systems and respond to threats. Plus, you’ll have access to technical expertise. They can help you manage the more complex parts of technical compliance and data protection.
Build a Secure Future for Your Therapy Practice
Cybersecurity for therapists and their patients is critical. Whether you already have practices in place or are looking to improve your security, Unity IT has experts who can help. Our flat-rate prices make quality healthcare cybersecurity affordable and effective.
Get a free consultation today and take the next step toward protecting your practice and patient information.