When working in any kind of medical field, your firm has additional security measure requirements that are above and beyond what other firms and businesses must adhere to. These are put in place by the federal government to help safeguard personal health information and prevent that data from being stolen and sold. On top of the necessity of protecting your patient’s health records, you also need to protect their financial records, their insurance information, as well as their basic contact data. Your dental practice is held in higher regard than just about any other industry in the United States, which is why it is so important to partner with a service provider that offers IT support for dental offices. At Charlotte IT Solutions, that is exactly what our locally owned and an operated company does.
Protect Your Dental Practice From Ransomeware
Almost since the dawn of the Internet, there have been Internet hackers. Their tactics for causing headaches and stealing information have evolved over the years, and while some of the most basic attacks are still working, ransomware has proven to be an effective means of making off large amounts of money.
Over time, an experienced hacker is able to send small bits of data through a network firewall. It only takes a small breach in security for this to begin. It can be one bit of data here and there, hidden within the network. On their own, these small bits of data don’t look like much. However, once everything is in place, the hacker will send a command, and the data will come together and take control of the system. It will prevent you from accessing not only your computers but from doing just about anything on the network.
The hacker will then demand money in exchange for releasing your network, essentially holding your system ransom (thus the name ransomware). They will tell you that if you do not make the necessary payment they will begin leaking patient data, as well as other personal information that might be stored within the network.
This kind of security breach can prove devastating for any firm, including a dental office. The best way to protect against ransomware is to make sure your network security is not only optimized but updated in real-time. Our staff here at Charlotte IT Solutions is here to craft network security that fits your office like a glove.
Protecting Your IoT Devices
The Internet has revolutionized the way so many devices function within a medical facility. You likely have more devices connected to the Internet now than at any point in the history of your dental practice. These IoT devices ensure you are able to provide your clients with not only a high level of care, but you speed up the process of taking care of them. Instead of waiting days (if not weeks) for a veneer to be crafted, it can be done in a matter of hours, thanks to new printing technology and an Internet connection.
And yet, every device that connects to the Internet can be a gateway for skilled cyber criminals, and oftentimes, all it takes is a foot in the door for the criminal to then make their way in. That is why you need to protect every aspect of your dental office IT, including IoT devices.
Keeping You HIPAA Compliant
As a healthcare provider, it is especially important for your firm to remain HIPAA compliant. Instead of trying to rely on your own knowledge of IT networking and security practices, you are better off partnering with our industry-leading staff here at Charlotte IT Solutions as we specialize in IT support for dental offices and HIPAA compliance.
Upgrade Your IT Services Today
It doesn’t matter how large your dental office is, what form of dentistry you practice, or what kind of IT network you currently have in place, you should always be looking for ways to upgrade, improve, and strengthen your IT support for dental offices.
As a locally owned and operated IT service provider, we are here for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. From building a network IT infrastructure that fits your dental office like a glove to providing you with real-time support, our staff is here for you. To learn how our staff can help revolutionize the way you protect your network while also conducting your cloud-based services, all you need to do is give our staff here at Charlotte IT Solutions a call at your earliest convenience.