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From the desk of Jason Balderama, CISO, County of Marin
With respiratory viruses among us such as COVID-19, RSV, and flu, virtual appointments have become one of the preferred ways to connect with your health care provider. The healthcare industry is increasingly relying upon Internet-connected devices and solutions to improve patient care, organizational efficiency, speed of crisis response, and much more. The emergence of telemedicine, digital health records, Internet-connected medical devices, patient wellness apps, has created many benefits, but has also exposed the industry to vulnerabilities that cybercriminals regularly attempt to exploit.
Let's review some simple steps you can take to ensure your virtual doctor's visit is safe and secure.
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- Plan to attend the appointment from your home or other private location to prevent eavesdropping from people you don't know. Talk to your family members and let them know that you will need their support to stay quiet during your appointment.
- Be mindful of what is around you and remove any questionable or offensive items away from the camera's view.
- Have a bottle or glass of water near you in case you need it during the appointment.
- Make sure you have all the technology you need such as an Internet connection, computer, mobile device, webcam, and headset prepped and ready to use at least 30 minutes before your appointment.
- When scheduling your appointment, confirm with the provider that the platform being used for your virtual appointment is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant.
- Update the operating system and software for the device you will be using for your appointment. Download, install, and update any required software for your appointment ahead of time.
- Cybercriminals may be able to eavesdrop on your appointment if you use an unprotected public Wi-fi connection. Make sure the Internet connection you are using is secure and use a hardwire connection rather than Wi-fi when possible.
- Remember that your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI) should remain private at all times. Your doctor's office will never ask you to share your private information using insecure methods such as standard SMS text messages.
- Scammers may try to steal your information by representing themselves as employees of your doctor's office. Confirm with your doctor ahead of time how you will access your health information, what phone number to use to contact their office, and how you will receive and pay invoices.
- Secure the information from your prescription medications and medical receipts. Remember to remove stickers from medicine bottles and shred the information before disposal.
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Copyright © 2023 County of Marin, All rights reserved. |
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Disclaimer
The information provided in Marin CyberSafe News is intended to increase people’s awareness of cybersecurity and to help them behave in a more secure manner. Links in this newsletter are provided because they have information that may be useful. The County of Marin does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained in the links and neither endorses nor intends to promote the advertising of the resources listed herein. The opinions and statements contained in such resources are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions of County of Marin.
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