Cybersecurity: Update required
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 24th December 2024
Whilst the technological proficiency of dental professionals will differ on a case-by-case basis, the one term that everyone will recognise is cybersecurity. Protecting practice and patient information is key, but what does this actually mean and what does it look like?
It’s important that dental professionals understand the steps they need to take to ensure their practice’s cybersecurity is of an optimal standard, and be aware of the risks currently presented to healthcare organisations. Reviewing the actions required of dental professionals gives a fantastic indication of the risks that are presented, and the steps that can be taken to mitigate them, in order to protect confidential patient and clinician information.
Rules to work by
The General Dental Council states that patient information must be kept secure at all times, whether on paper or electronically.[i] The guidance laid out in the Standards for the Dental Team notes that clinicians must ensure no one can achieve unauthorised access by storing it securely.i Any confidential information that is sent electronically must also be done so safely. For electronic data storage or transfer, all information should be encrypted.i
In today’s world, electronic data storage and management systems are almost a given. They are able to improve cooperation and treatment outcomes; reduce costs through the minimisation of physical storage space and material; and boost the overall efficiency of a practice.[ii] However, connection to the internet presents the opportunity for sensitive information to be compromised if affected by a digital virus or online attack.
Successful breaches of healthcare information are, thankfully, rare. Notably in 2024, NHS Dumfries and Galloway was targeted by cyber criminals,[iii] and Synnovis, a pathology laboratory which works with NHS organisations to process blood tests, was a victim of a cyberattack in the early summer.[iv] The Information Commissioner’s Office suggests that the breach of personal data in a hospital would be of significant impact to affected patients due to the sensitivity of the data and the risk of confidential medical details becoming known to others.[v] This would also be the case in dentistry, so practices are obligated to take steps to minimise the risk of such a scenario occurring.
Understand the enemy
Cyberattacks can originate from a number of sources. One of the most prevalent risks are phishing attempts–messages that appear to be from a familiar source, and intend to deceive an individual.[vi] In fact, 90% of businesses and 94% of charities who experienced at least one type of cybercrime were victim to such a ploy.[vii] A phishing message may include a link to an external website or a downloadable attachment that allows malware (such as ransomware) to be downloaded, sabotaging the practice’s digital systems.[viii] Some phishing attempts are more obvious than others, but it is helpful for the dental team to discuss what one may look like, and what to do if they receive one.
Dental professionals have a range of resources that they can access to better understand the risks presented to patient data online. The National Cyber Security Centre dives into a wealth of guidance and best practice for public sector organisations, which is easily applicable to the dental practice.
Know your next steps
62% of businesses in the health, social care and social work sectors treat cyber security as a “very” high priority.vii In today’s digital world, it is no wonder that this number is so large, and will likely rise in coming years. Health, social care and social work businesses are nearly twice as likely to have a formalised cyber incident response approach than the average business or charity.vii
Aside from educating the dental team to recognise how a cyberattack can occur, and discussing the actions that should be taken in such a scenario, dental professionals can also take an active step forward by upgrading their practice management software. Choosing solutions that are backed by high-quality cybersecurity workflows, which are regularly reviewed to mitigate new risks as they arise, is key. You must also ensure that all data storage is GDPR compliant, and can be recovered and secured should a potential cybersecurity threat arise.
Sensei Cloud, from the practice and patient management brand of Carestream Dental, is designed to help clinicians manage practice and patient information securely and on the go, whilst actively fighting risks to cybersecurity. The cloud-based platform allows clinicians to analyse practice performance, reach out to patients and access important information securely without needing to be in the practice. Sensei Cloud is supported by leading experts and state-of-the-art tools in cybersecurity to best protect your practice against potential threats.
Cybersecurity is an aspect of practice management that must be optimised to keep patient information safe and secure. Choosing high-quality practice management systems is essential, alongside educating the dental team, to minimise the risk of negative outcomes.
For more information on Sensei Cloud visit https://gosensei.co.uk/
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[i] General Dental Council, (2019). Standards for the Dental Team. (Online) Available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/standards-for-the-dental-team [Accessed September 2024]
[ii] Almalawi, A., Khan, A. I., Alsolami, F., Abushark, Y. B., & Alfakeeh, A. S. (2023). Managing security of healthcare data for a modern healthcare system. Sensors, 23(7), 3612.
[iii] Cowan, D., (2024). Cyber expert urges against ‘panic’ over NHS data leak. BBC News. (Online) Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clw08q19n9ro [Accessed September 2024]
[iv] NHS England, (2024). Synnovis cyber attack – statement from NHS England. (Online) Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/06/synnovis-cyber-attack-statement-from-nhs-england/ [Accessed September 2024]
[v] Information Commissioner’s Office, (N.D.). Personal data breaches: a guide. (Online). Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/report-a-breach/personal-data-breach/personal-data-breaches-a-guide/ [Accessed September 2024]
[vi] Office for National Statistics, (2022). Phishing attacks – who is most at risk? (Online) Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/phishingattackswhoismostatrisk/2022-09-26 [Accessed September 2024]
[vii] Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, (2024). Cyber security breaches survey 2024. (Online) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024 [Accessed September 2024]
[viii] National Cyber Security Centre, (2024). Phishing attacks: defending your organisation. (Online) Available at: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/phishing [Accessed September 2024]
