Many senior care communities find adopting and integrating new technology challenging, often with limited resources for doing so as their staff focuses on resident care and comfort. Yet, taking advantage of new and emerging technology can unlock higher efficiency and support your staff and residents’ well-being in multiple ways. Here are some trends in long-term care technology to be aware of today:

Integration Between Technologies

Historically, delivering care meant dealing with gaps in information due to disparate systems and on-premises software. Modern solutions are changing that, as integration between these tools tops 2024 trends in long-term care technology.

Today’s programs and HIPAA-compliant cloud-based computing provide increased visibility across communities and providers, eliminating access issues and information gaps. The result is better resident care and higher organizational efficiency.

Resident Monitoring

Resident monitoring solutions have made great strides over the past few years. The Internet of Things (IoT) allows for fully connected medical devices that deliver real-time patient information to providers. Healthcare professionals can leverage these insights for preventive action and know when a resident needs extra care or support sooner.

Static, in-room solutions like fall sensors are also helping improve staff resource allocation while promoting resident well-being. These sensors learn movement patterns and can proactively detect risks like wandering or falls. Your team can quickly respond and deliver the necessary care without devoting 24/7 one-on-one safety monitoring.

Tech-Supported Personalized Resident Care

With increased data capture, long-term care organizations have more insights into their residents’ overall well-being than ever. Built-in analytics and reporting simplify data collection and analysis for meaningful and actionable information. Long-term care communities can quickly and easily see which activity programs are resonating with their residents to help keep them engaged.

Predictive analytics harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are also revolutionizing healthcare for residents. AI and ML tools can analyze millions of data points in electronic health records and translate them into patterns to predict a resident’s potential risks. These insights help care teams support better patient outcomes through informed decision-making based on the resident’s unique needs.

AI is also driving value in helping residents independently keep up with their care. Technology ensures they remember to eat, drink and take medications in the right dosage at the right time. Automatic staff alerts of irregularities empower teams to spend more time on meaningful interactions and less on tracking meals and medications.

IT Outsourcing

Implementing new technology and supporting users through transitions is frequently challenging for long-term care communities. Working with a third-party expert like Prelude Services is a cost-effective and practical solution. Outsourced information technology services help organizations optimize spending and access industry expertise, among many other benefits.

Partner With Prelude Services for Your Long-Term Care Technology Needs

Prelude offers a comprehensive selection of outsourced IT solutions to meet your organizational needs, boost your community’s cybersecurity and support your users around the clock. We specialize in serving senior living and long-term care providers, partnering with over 700 organizations spanning 40 states. Let’s talk about how we can help your community leverage technology this year and beyond — contact us online to start a conversation today.

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When caring for older adults, post-acute care is a reality. More than 40% of Medicare beneficiaries are discharged to post-acute facilities — an essential step in their recovery. The post-acute care programs’ efficacy dictates patient health outcomes in many ways, so IT services and post-acute care go hand in hand.

Access to current information and the most effective IT tools can improve patient care and streamline information sharing. Focusing on improving care transitions can help ensure older adults receive the post-acute care they need. With the proper care, they can take positive steps in their recovery. IT services for post-acute care facilities are a critical consideration.

Types of IT Services for Post-Acute Facilities

For patients to achieve the best possible health outcomes, post-acute care facilities must have the capabilities to coordinate and manage high-quality healthcare specific to each individual. Much of this care depends on the reliable transition of information, internally and externally.

Access to critical health information allows post-acute care facilities to provide better quality care to patients, whether identifying patients at risk of injury or having access to indicators of their recovery timeline to make further adjustments. Caregivers can provide preventive care and stay current with patient needs.

Types of IT Services that can augment post-acute care include the following:

Network Management for Post-Acute Care

Most businesses use computer networks, and monitoring and managing them is essential to maintain optimal performance and care for patients. Upgrading your IT systems is vital for data safety and backup in the event of a critical failure. Your post-acute care facility will still have access to valuable patient data so you can continue to provide high-quality care.

Management tools can keep your facility providing optimal patient care by outlining upgrade requirements. The accompanying design tool tailors your network infrastructure to your facility’s needs, ensuring you can expand your networks and perform as needed to meet your specific requirements.

Security is necessary for any business that holds data. Network management tools identify malicious software entering your network and resolve the problem before you experience data theft or damage.

Cloud Computing for Post-Acute Care

Managing, processing, storing and communicating patient data is crucial in a post-acute care environment. When caregivers can access up-to-date patient data from web-based applications, they have flexibility and confidence in their work, knowing they can tailor their approach to specific patients. Storing your data in the cloud can help you achieve this.

Anyone with authorization can access patient data with this simple cloud solution as long as you have an internet connection. It’s easy to expand and upgrade and saves you money and space on physical infrastructure.

Service Desk for Post-Acute Care

Your IT systems must work for you to provide quality post-acute patient care. A 24/7 service desk may be the answer, as you can contact professionals whenever an issue might affect your ability to provide patient care. There is no need to compromise what you do best with expensive downtime.

Hardware and Software Support for Post-Acute Care

Both hardware and software are necessary to keep your IT systems performing well. Choosing the right equipment and hosting your applications can be daunting without an IT service that provides hardware and software support. IT services can help your team stay productive and focused on providing the best care for your patients.

Why Post-Acute Facilities Should Outsource IT Services

Providing superior patient care is a top priority for post-acute facilities. There can be a disconnect when patients are transferred, compromising their care, as you lose access to vital information about their treatment. Outsourcing specialist IT services can bridge that gap and provide your facility with access to information, data protection and faster processes.

Some of the many benefits of outsourcing IT services for post-acute facilities include the following:

• Elevated patient care: Providing quality patient care is the primary goal of any healthcare facility. IT services and patient care are linked, and patient care improves when healthcare facilities can access their data immediately. This is especially important with post-acute facilities, where caregivers exchange data from one facility to another. Outsourcing IT services streamlines this process so caregivers can focus on patients.
• Enhanced scalability: Outsourcing IT gives you more flexibility for growth and change, as these professionals provide full scalability for your business. Instead of investing in static IT solutions, you can update your services as your needs shift. If you need to expand, for example, your IT partner already has the infrastructure to streamline the process.
• Efficient billing: Healthcare professionals rarely have time to focus on complex coding and billing procedures. Outsourcing medical billing can decrease billing errors, provide accurate medical insurance claims and reduce the risk of denied claims.
• Improved cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is crucial for businesses. If you handle patients’ data, it needs to be protected. Outsourced IT services provide that protection with innovative security solutions.
• Increased productivity: Removing the focus on IT challenges allows your staff to focus on their core competencies and give acute-care patients the full attention they deserve. They also have access to the data they need in real time, and with the information at their fingertips, they can make informed decisions about patient care without delays.
• Decreased costs: Partnering with a professional IT service means saving on the high costs of an in-house IT team. Outsourced IT services also have up-to-date equipment and resources at your disposal. IT service providers can work within your budget to help you accomplish your goals.
• Advanced compliance: The healthcare industry is bound by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule concerning data protection. Meeting these requirements can be challenging, but outsourced IT services have vast experience in data security compliance.
• Streamlined operations: IT challenges can be disruptive, especially for patient care. Outsourced IT teams can help prevent downtime and elevate your customer service — there is less chance of data breaches or inaccessible websites with professionals on your side.
• Enhanced access: Partnering with an outsourced IT provider gives you access to professionals in their field who can provide you with their specialized skills.

Contact Prelude Services for Post-Acute Care IT Services

Post-acute care facilities rely on IT services to provide patients with the highest standard of care. Prelude Services is here to assist you by providing IT services focused on helping healthcare providers navigate the rapidly changing industry landscape. Our innovative technology solutions are the perfect choice for post-acute care providers looking to improve patient outcomes and reduce unnecessary costs.

Our vast industry experience can strengthen your cybersecurity, manage your electronic medical records system and networks, and support your hardware and software. Our 24/7 service desk will help you reduce downtime, so you can focus on what you do best — caring for patients. We have a wide range of reliable options tailored to your specific need. Please reach out today to learn more about how Prelude Services can help you.

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Everything nowadays relies on technology. From manufacturing to office jobs and even healthcare, there are no industries that exist without the use of technological systems. 

If companies can’t keep up with these new developments, then they will struggle to stay competitive and provide for their customers. That’s especially true in the healthcare industry. Staying up to date with innovations is essential to patient care and company efficiency. So, what can your nursing home or healthcare facility do to keep up with the times? The answer is simple — invest in network management for nursing homes and health clinics.

What Is Network Management?

Healthcare network management is the process of monitoring and maintaining the technology systems that a healthcare facility uses. In recent years, technologies have become more advanced and complicated, and it can be difficult for healthcare providers to keep up. After all, if you’re a healthcare professional, you should be focusing on your patients rather than technology. However, these systems are essential for managing patient information. Healthcare providers can’t afford not to have a system — or to have a system that is too complicated to manage. 

That’s where healthcare network management comes in. Rather than healthcare workers having to maintain complex systems and losing time helping patients, network management for nursing homes and health clinics ensures that patients are the focus. Network management for senior living communities gives the technical work to technology experts.

How Network Management Can Benefit Your Healthcare Facility

The benefits of network management for nursing homes and other healthcare applications are endless. You can explore a few of them below.

CONTROLLING COSTS

It’s clear that network management for nursing homes is needed, but what are the added benefits of network management in healthcare? The first is the ability to control and decrease company costs. 

Your business likely already has an array of systems in place that rely on technology. As more and more are added, it will become more challenging to maintain them all. One option is to hire and train an IT department to manage these systems for you. While this approach might make sense in the beginning, hiring and retaining dedicated IT personnel can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over just a few years.

Your other option is hiring a healthcare network management company. This approach will save your facility money in the long run, and it comes with countless other benefits.

INCREASED EFFICIENCY

Nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals don’t have the time to ensure all technology is running properly — they’re busy saving lives. The older your systems get and the more systems you have, the more challenging it will be to consolidate data.

One of the benefits of network management in nursing homes is that healthcare staff can simply use the technology for what they need. They won’t have to troubleshoot, manage data or serve as tech support for patients. The network management company will handle all of these concerns. When your healthcare workers can focus solely on patient care, the entire facility will run more efficiently.

REDUCING DOWNTIME

Another benefit of network management in healthcare is reducing company downtime. Have you ever had one of your technology systems break? How long did it take to fix? With healthcare network management, someone will always be monitoring your systems to ensure that technology is back up and running as soon as possible. Beyond reducing downtime, network management will result in less of a hassle when issues do happen and less stress trying to fix them.

INCREASING FLEXIBILITY

The benefits of network management in nursing homes don’t end there. With a completely managed network, flexibility of staff and company capabilities can be improved. Your company can add more technology to improve communication, data management and security. By adding network management for senior living communities, you can ensure all of your patients — and their data — are cared for. 

Integrating and managing all technologies will also position the company better for the future. With solid network management in place, your facility will stand out among competitors.

Contact Prelude Services for Network Management Services

Network management in healthcare offers a multitude of benefits, whether you’re running a hospital, clinic, nursing home or another facility. So, why not research your network management options? Prelude Services offers data and IT management services as well as reporting, cloud computing and other technology management options. 

If your healthcare company or nursing home is having difficulties managing a multitude of technology applications and systems, turn to Prelude Services. Our expert IT professionals are ready to create a solution that works for you. Contact us today to learn more about healthcare network management for nursing homes.

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Technology is essential for effective communication within the senior care industry. Fully functional technology enables workers to do their jobs more efficiently and allows residents to connect with off-site friends and family members better. To keep digital devices up and running, senior community and assisted living technology support is crucial.

In this article, we’ll look at why onsite technical services are important for senior living communities and the benefits of working with a professional IT provider for senior living technology support. 

Onsite IT Services for Senior Living Communities

Because technology is constantly evolving, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest advancements and solutions. The overwhelming nature of technology combined with the consistently changing HIPAA standards for healthcare providers can put senior living and care organizations under an extreme amount of stress. However, onsite IT services can help those in the senior healthcare community avoid technical troubles and continue offering the highest quality of care.

Having a team of IT experts who can quickly identify and neutralize the matter is oftentimes more efficient than having regular staff troubleshoot the issue. Working with an IT service provider can help senior living communities create a safe, comfortable environment equipped with the technology necessary for delivering the care residents need. A professional IT service will also be able to help set up devices and solve technical troubles for residents.

Here are the top five advantages to working with an onsite IT services team:

• Cybersecurity: Many organizations are unaware of the specific steps they need to take to keep their network and data secure. With reliable onsite IT support, any potential data security issues can be addressed quickly to avoid any major data breaches or future network failures.
• Speed: Devoting hours to trying to figure out a technological problem on your own can be frustrating. Instead, call a professional and have the issue repaired faster than it would take to figure out the solution by yourself. In addition to getting an efficient fix, leaving the IT services to the professionals can save an organization from accidentally worsening a tech issue.
• Reliable Wi-Fi: Nowadays, Wi-Fi is essential to running a successful organization. A large senior living community can be intricate, with multiple facilities in need of total Wi-Fi coverage at all times. An onsite IT service can help develop a wireless strategy for your organization that will provide the mobility your staff needs to serve residents best.
• 24/7 IT support: Whenever technology is involved, some issues are bound to come up, often at the most unexpected times. Because technical issues within the healthcare field can be urgent, it’s crucial to have a solid IT support system. Partnering with an IT service will ensure your senior living community receives dependable IT help any hour of the day.
• Customized solutions: When it comes to technology, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution because every organization has slightly different needs. An onsite IT service will provide IT plans to address your senior living community’s specific needs, then help you implement those plans to keep your technology running smoothly.

Technology Support Setup for Senior Living Communities

Setting up IT support for a senior living community provides your facilities with protection against potential IT issues as well as a reliable help center for future IT problems. When dealing with new devices, it’s important that they are set up well to ensure all of the programs necessary for running your senior care center are fully functional. From computers and laptops to tablets and printers, be sure to work with an IT support service to securely connect to the Internet and install software properly.

For senior living communities with older PCs and technology, the programs can be brought up to date, excess data can get cleaned up and the overall operating power can be increased. An IT support service will also help eliminate any viruses harming your computers and install security software to fend off future attacks at the first support setup meeting for your facility.

When initially setting up nursing home technology support, a good IT support company should also offer these four fundamental services:

• Cloud computing: As cloud-based software applications continue to steadily grow in popularity, cloud computing services will be key to keeping a senior living community’s technology up and running smoothly.
• Network management: Your IT servicer should provide the network management your senior healthcare center needs to support your data, Internet, voice and video needs.
• Hardware and software support: Certified technicians can help you choose, install and continuously support the hardware and software for all of your devices.
• Enterprise reporting: Be sure to work with an IT service that offers enterprise reporting that will help your senior living community stay informed on all the latest data it needs to remain within HIPAA regulations and operate effectively.

Technology Support Repair for Senior Living Communities

Once your center’s tech network and all its devices have been properly set up, it will need to be maintained. Your tech is only as good as how reliable it is, so it’s imperative to keep it operating smoothly. To prevent residents from becoming frustrated with malfunctioning technology, your senior living community will need a source of 24/7 IT support to cover services such as repair and maintenance for computers, tablets and mobile devices.

Because technology has become such a big part of everyday life, your nursing home needs a dependable technological service that can properly set up digital devices to help prevent IT issues before they occur as well as get your technology back up and running when tech problems do arise. When you partner with a good tech support service, you will get expert advice about how to avoid unexpected breakdowns and a speedy, stress-free way to get devices repaired whenever needed.

A reputable IT support and repair service will provide these onsite tech solutions:

• Installing email and spam filters
• Setting up proxy servers with thorough cybersecurity protection
• Implementing the latest link analysis, URL and attachment sandboxing
• Conducting advanced malware analysis
• Overseeing penetration testing
• Updating plugins
• Backing up data or running file transfers
• Connecting external hard drives or multiple PCs for data transmission and file storage
• Managing the system’s network

When your senior living community’s technology is operating at its highest level, your entire facility will function more efficiently, and the residents can enjoy their personal devices to the fullest. Instead of continually dealing with irritating technology breakdowns, your senior living community as a whole can breathe easier thanks to reliable onsite IT support.

Contact Prelude Services for Onsite Resident Technology and IT Support

If you want the best onsite resident technology and IT support for your senior living community, contact Prelude Services to find out how we can help keep your tech performing at its best. At Prelude, we offer all of the previously listed IT services along with mobile, tablet and PC setup, repair, maintenance, Wi-Fi support and more. We streamline and standardize IT processes to minimize downtime and enhance the quality of your technology.

Make your senior living community a more technologically enriched environment by taking advantage of Prelude’s full installation and maintenance services today.

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National Church Residences Objectives:

• Outsource IT systems and services in order to be able to focus on business needs and day-to-day services for the organization.
• Obtain a simplified solution for their financial and clinical reporting needs.

Solutions Provided:

• Outsourcing
• Network Management
• Cloud Computing
• Hardware & Software Support
• New IT infrastructure
• 24×7 service desk
• Prelude Enterprise Reporting (PER)
• Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ)

National Church Residences is the nation’s largest, not-for-profit provider of senior health care, housing, and services for over 340 communities throughout the United States. In 2012, they realized the need to partially outsource their IT healthcare services in order to keep up with the demand of their growing business. Partially outsourcing continued to be problematic. In 2014 the Vice President of IT decided that the best solution would be to outsource all of their IT needs to Prelude Services. 

One of Prelude’s first priorities was to give National Church Residences the opportunity to be able to focus their efforts on their growing business without having the time constraints of managing their own IT systems. Prelude assumed the responsibility for managing all of their IT services, which included networking, software, hardware, data security, and hosting.

Prelude identified and prioritized projects in order to bring National Church Residences to a reliable and secure level of functionality. We upgraded their network equipment, server technology, and migrated all of their applications and data to our compliant and highly secure data centers.

National Church also realized the value and benefits of our unique Prelude Enterprise Reporting (PER) and Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) solutions. They have started to use these applications for many of their financial and clinical reporting needs. They have been able to minimize their manual efforts by consolidating their clinical, financial, and employee data into our simple application solutions.

As a result of the many improvements implemented in our partnership, National Church Residences is well-positioned for the future of healthcare, and focusing on their growing organization.

“In working with Prelude, whose core competency is IT services for senior living, we’re provided with the tactical and strategic services required for our business. So we’re confident that Prelude can help us get to where we need to be.” -Mark Ricketts, President and CEO of National Church Residences

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In November 2019, a cyberattack against 110 nursing homes highlighted the industry’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Hackers encrypted all data, including patient records, and demanded $14 million in bitcoin to decrypt the data. These nursing homes were cut off from all patient data and forced to handle patient care by pen and paper.

Assisted living centers and nursing homes often have lots of data in their system. Both patient medical records and client payment information are incredibly tempting for hackers and data thieves. Whether the data is encrypted or stolen, it presents a major danger to your facility. Knowing how to ensure cybersecurity is a must for any assisted living center or rest home.

Cybersecurity Threats for Senior Living and Nursing Homes

Approximately 75.7% of healthcare organizations have recently experienced a significant cybersecurity incident. While this estimate includes many types of healthcare environments, adult care facilities may be even more vulnerable. These small organizations don’t have the same resources and cybersecurity infrastructure as large medical centers. For this reason, 58% of all cyberattack targets are small businesses.

Cyberthreats abound for nursing homes and older adult living centers. Your organization could be vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches:

1. EMAIL PHISHING ATTACKS

Attacks involving email are responsible for 61.9% of cybersecurity compromises in the healthcare industry. They can easily be the source of a long-term care facility’s data breach. 

An email phishing scam attempts to trick an email recipient into giving out information. In your workplace, the victim could be you, a colleague or even a long-term care patient. The email will contain a link or file and appear to come from a legitimate source. It may appear to come from a co-worker, manager, the company itself or a vendor. Clicking on the link will take the user to a website soliciting sensitive data. It could also immediately infect the computer with malware.

An example of this could be a fake email appearing to come from the facility’s software provider, asking the user to change their password. Complying with the request may result in compromised patient data.

2. RANSOMWARE ATTACKS

A special type of malware called ransomware blocks users’ access to data through encryption. Criminals try to extort a ransom, often in cryptocurrency, to unlock the data. Ransomware attacks are often initiated through phishing.

While some may think paying the ransom is the easiest solution, this is not the case. Some ransomware destroys or exfiltrates data, meaning it is already gone or in the wrong hands. Paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee the hacker will return your lost data. It often takes as long to decrypt data as it does to restore it from a backup. If a breach occurs, it could take weeks to restore the lost data.

Nursing home facilities faced with such an incident could face many fallouts. Practitioners won’t be able to read medical charts. Without crucial healthcare data, patients could receive improper care. The facility could also face lawsuits. If patient data is compromised, your organization may need to report the breach to the authorities. In the scramble to document care by paper, crucial information gets forgotten. If certain activities aren’t properly documented, they can’t be reimbursed. A two-week system outage could cost your facility anywhere from 6% to 10% of the proper payments owed to you.

3. LOSS OR THEFT OF EQUIPMENT

People have their phones or laptops stolen often. Whether these devices are left in a ride-share vehicle or swiped from a coffee shop, the sensitive data they contain can be compromised. Any medical charts or patient billing information accessed from a personal device can end up in the wrong hands after a theft. 

Another way theft can compromise your data is when it occurs from the inside. An employee with malicious intent may steal company computers or even connected medical devices. Whether they attempt to sell the equipment or the data within, sensitive medical information is jeopardized. Lost company equipment can also slow down productivity.

4. DATA LOSS

Negligent insiders cause 20.8% of cybersecurity incidents in the healthcare industry. Employees can cause data loss due to honest mistakes and intentional theft. A procedural error, such as forgetting to hit save, is a common cause of data loss. Falling for a phishing scam can also result in accidental data loss.

An employee, contractor or another individual with access to the company network can also cause a malicious data loss. They may steal data for personal gain or to harm the organization or an individual, such as a patient or co-worker. An employee may inappropriately view patient information without even physically stealing it.

Data loss can cause patient identity theft. Lost patient data is also considered a reportable data breach. Incorrect data may cause nurses to give residents the wrong medications, and it can also result in financial loss if banking information is compromised. 

Cybersecurity Practices to Protect Your Data

Implementing a few cybersecurity tips throughout your company network can protect your business, employees and residents. Here’s how to protect yourself and your adult care facility through cybersecurity:

1. EMAIL PROTECTION SYSTEMS

Email phishing is threatening because it’s surprisingly easy to fall for. An email from a carefully chosen address and a link to a smartly designed website has a high chance of fooling someone. Also, phishing emails often go out to a large batch of people, and only one needs to click on it to cause a breach. Some are even disguised to look like they come from the CEO. Ignoring a request from such a high authority goes against many people’s best instincts.

Some basic email filtering can prevent phishing scams from reaching your inboxes. These systems test out links and messages to block malicious communications from ever reaching your inbox. Protection systems are so effective at mitigating phishing that we install email and spam filters by default for all our customers. It’s also helpful to have the system tag emails from external senders, so staff can use caution.

A complete email protection system will also include training and a procedure for dealing with attempted and successful phishing scams. Staff should learn to detect suspicious emails. They should also know who to forward them to. It can be helpful to coordinate with other nursing homes and assisted living facilities about potential threats.

2. NETWORK MANAGEMENT

Your company’s network includes all the computers, equipment and devices linked to one another within your system. Network management involves setting up, administering and troubleshooting a network. An effective network management system for a small business should encompass a few best practices, including:

• Network segmentation: Dividing your company’s network into several subnetworks has many advantages. It allows the company to limit insiders’ access to various parts of the network. It also builds perimeters around sensitive data. That means unauthorized staff won’t have access to proprietary information. Also, cyberattackers won’t be able to access it by breaching the network’s outer perimeter.
• Physical security and guest access management: On-premise security is essential for preventing unauthorized network access. It prevents equipment theft as well as network access through Wi-Fi.
• Intrusion prevention: In cybersecurity, an intrusion prevention system scans network traffic to detect malicious intrusion attempts to the network. The software will alert a network administrator and block traffic from the source.

3. ASSET MANAGEMENT

To fight back against equipment theft, your organization needs proper asset management. For some organizations, this may include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking for devices. If a piece of equipment goes missing, this data can help you pinpoint its location. It can also include scannable bar codes to log who uses equipment and when.

Your organization should maintain a complete, accurate record of all mobile devices, on-site servers, laptops and USB drives. Depending on your size and resources, you may need secure storage for inactive equipment. It’s also crucial to decommission devices before disposal for data hygiene.

4. DATA PROTECTION AND LOSS PREVENTION

Cybersecurity best practices for senior living centers must include data protection. Regularly backing up data is one step to avoid losing proprietary data. It’s also critical to encrypt data to prevent outsiders from accessing it or encrypting it themselves. Skilled nursing facilities and retirement homes should encrypt stored data and anything sent via email, text or fax. 

Here at Prelude Services, we protect your data through our private cloud services. If you work with us, you’ll store your healthcare data in your own secure, HIPAA-compliant cloud.

Long-Term and Post-Acute Care Cybersecurity Risks

Long-term and post-acute care centers remain one of the most vulnerable subsectors of the healthcare industry. Their level of IT sophistication usually lags behind others in the industry. They also have a massive log of high-value electronic health records, personal health records and personally-identifying information about residents and employees.

Your organization’s focus on older adult care adds to your cybersecurity risk. People born between the 1930s and 1950s are frequent targets for online scams and frauds. They often have excellent credit and savings and may be less tech-savvy or more trusting. Cyberattacks can harm your patients and, without the proper security, work their way into your company’s network. Among adults aged 65 to 74, 86.9% own computers, and 83.2% use the internet. Even 55.1% of those over 85 are using the internet.

With many of your residents using unsecured devices or receiving phishing emails, your assisted living center or nursing home is at greater risk.

Contact Prelude Services for Cybersecurity Solutions

Prelude Services is a healthcare IT and cybersecurity provider geared toward assisted living and long-term care organizations. We understand the unique vulnerabilities facing your organization and are here to help with tailored, HIPAA-compliant solutions. We offer network management, cloud security and friendly, dedicated 24/7 support to secure your organization’s network and data.

If you’re interested in cybersecurity that offers the level of support your industry needs, contact us today.

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As the baby boomer generation gets older, more older adults require telehealth in long-term care (LTC) from nursing homes and retirement communities. Compared to traditional healthcare services provided in offices and hospitals, telehealth is a rapidly expanding form of service, requiring updated technology to bridge the gap between quality and at-home healthcare.

What Is Telehealth?

Telehealth is rapidly changing the way businesses operate, broadly defined as the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide long-distance healthcare to patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cover telehealth services like:

• Inpatient consultations
• Follow-up consultations
• Individual psychotherapy
• Psychiatric examinations
• Intervention services
• Pharmaceutical management

This two-way, real time communication process takes place in two sites:

• Distant site: This is where the practitioner administers the service.
• Originating site: This is the location of the patient at the time of service.

Some examples of how to provide telehealth in nursing homes include:

• Videoconferencing
• Telephone conferencing
• Electronic mailing systems
• Fax machines
• Remote patient monitoring

If you plan on implementing telehealth services, you need, at a minimum, audio and video equipment. This allows you to maintain the feeling of human interaction with patients, even if through a screen, a requirement set by CMS.

Benefits of Telehealth in Nursing Homes

Implementing telehealth in retirement homes and nursing facilities, especially when aligned with the company’s organizational goals and workflow, offers extensive benefits. When properly applied, you can expect benefits like:

• Increased access to other skilled physicians: A telehealth platform gives staff the link to on-demand support whenever they need it, making them more reactive when administering care.
• Improved patient care: The ability to receive on-demand support leads to smoother operations and increased confidence in staff members. Technological advances enhance organizational workflow by eliminating unnecessary complications, like loss of paperwork or slow response times, aiding the increased level of confidence.
• Reduced stress on patients and family members: The increased accessibility to comprehensive care makes patients and family members feel more confident, too. A bonus, telehealth eliminates the sometimes stressful situation of transportation to the healthcare provider.

An increase in patients’ access to healthcare eliminates avoidable Medicare penalties, like unnecessary hospitalizations, promoting smoother operations for a healthier workplace environment.

What to Know Before Providing Telehealth in Nursing Homes

Rapid technological and service advancements increase the effectiveness and availability of telehealth for older adult care. These advancements also impact the rules and regulations set on healthcare providers. Familiarize yourself with some of these rules and regulations before formulating an implementation strategy.

1. BECOME FAMILIAR WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS

Laws differ by state, so it’s important to research your state’s regulations before creating a telehealth strategy. Additionally, continuous technological and interpersonal advancements impact which types of telehealth services are reimbursable, which may affect your decisions. Current state laws and regulations include:

• Reimbursement of live video in Medicaid fee-for-service
• Reimbursement in 14 states for store-and-forward
• Reimbursement for remote patient monitoring (RPM) in 22 state Medicaid programs
• Limit of the types of facilities allowed to serve as an originating site in 23 states
• Transmission of facility fee in 34 state Medicaid programs

Federal level policy changes have a ripple effect across state policies, increasing the importance of staying knowledgable on these rapid developments.

2. MEET PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY STANDARDS

All medical records, even those outside of telehealth, are subjected to HIPAA’s Privacy Rule, enforced by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This rule sets a national standard for the protection of patients’ records and other personal information, including:

• Past, present or future physical or mental health
• Provision of healthcare
• Past, present or future payment of healthcare

HIPAA’s Security Rule applies directly to electronically-transmitted documents, providing the same level of patient protection. This rule is increasingly important with the rapid developments of technology and is designed to be flexible to accommodate the growth rate.

These rules protect the flow of health information within and between healthcare providers, ensuring patients receive quality health care with respect to their privacy. The patient, clearly, has access to their documents and has the right to request full disclosure of their information.

3. INFORM PATIENTS OF APPROPRIATE INFORMATION

Following the rules stated by HIPAA, healthcare providers must disclose the appropriate information to patients, allowing patients to make the voluntary decision to receive or refuse telecare. Providers must disclose the following information:

• Limitations to confidentiality
• Methods of alternative communications should technology fail
• Communication methods between sessions
• Process of documentation and storage
• Conditions of the termination of telehealth services in the event of a face-to-face referral

In summary, before implementing telehealth services, do your research. You want to be fully aware of the legal responsibilities that accompany their implementation, or you could subject yourself to the legal repercussions if neglected.

How to Implement Telehealth in Nursing Homes

Communication between patients and staff is vital when considering implementing these new services and the safety of both groups. To smoothly implement telehealth in nursing homes, follow these three steps:

1. MAKE SURE YOUR STAFF IS ONBOARD

The decision to implement telehealth services will directly impact your staff. Gather them and listen to their ideas and needs. Do they need any new technology to administer teleservices? If your business already offers these forms of treatment, does your staff need upgraded technology to accommodate the increasing number of telehealth patients?

By making sure you hear and support your staff’s needs, you encourage smooth online transition and operational flow. The increased confidence within your staff will be apparent to your patients, making them feel more confident about the new service.

2. ENSURE YOUR CLIENTS HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES

Consider that many older adults don’t have a cellphone or personal computer. Even with access to telecommunication devices, they may not know how to use them, compared to younger generations who have been using this technology since childhood. Supplying a communication device yourself and providing them with the resources to use them may be necessary.

Keep in mind that some older patients may not feel comfortable or confident receiving telehealth services, purely due to their lack of experience with the communication device. Educate your staff on techniques to ease these concerns.

3. ESTABLISH SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PLANS

No matter the form of service, the safety of both patients and providers is of utmost importance. During a session, ensure patients are not at risk of causing harm to themselves or others, evaluate worsening symptoms and be aware of any access to firearms and the chance of medical emergencies.

Develop clearly defined safety procedures and emergency protocols before implementing teleservices to better prepare yourself and staff in the event of a technical, psychiatric or medical emergency. Procedures and protocols should include:

• Establishing back-up plans should connection or technology fail
• Screening and assessment of patients
• Asking for the patient’s physical location should emergency services be requested

Review these safety and emergency plans with your patients and staff. Currently, there is no evidence that indicates telehealth services are less safe than traditional in-office services, but it’s always best to be prepared.

How to Set up Remote Patient Monitoring

RPM is a proactive care strategy that allows providers to gather clients’ health information remotely, bypassing tedious trips to the doctor’s office or hospital. This form of care is unique to the patient’s condition and goals, so the setup in relation to devices, platforms and applications may be different.

Because RPM is personalized per patient, your staff should be trained in multiple lines of support and be capable of educating their patients on the remote technology used during treatment.

Healthcare facilities are transitioning to cloud computing to store and retrieve their patient’s data. Cloud computing improves efficiency, limits unnecessary paperwork with an infinite amount of data storage and gives providers mobile access to communicate and coordinate tasks from any location.

This rapid form of digital communication is important when evaluating a remote patient’s condition. When setting up RPM, choose reliable technology with efficient response times to provide quality telehealth services.

Necessary Equipment for Telehealth

When choosing equipment, ask yourself if the item is important to deliver telehealth services, both from the client’s and the provider’s perspectives. Identify an appropriate amount of space to house your technology within your distant site. Choose equipment that aligns with your telehealth needs. At a minimum, you will need:

1. Hardware: Hardware is the tools and equipment used to provide service. This includes a computer, a high definition video camera and an audio system that sets a solid foundation for video conferencing sessions.
2. Video hardware and software: The goal of communicating with your patients online is to give them the same level of care received during in-house treatment. Use a secure and reliable video medium, set up your camera at eye-level to prevent looking down at your patient and use a high definition camera to avoid pixelated, disruptive imaging.
3. Reliable bandwidth: The speed and capacity of transferring data are crucial to a smooth, reliable connection. Ensure adequate bandwidth for telecommunication from your internet service provider or IT agency.
4. Software and hardware support systems: Software support systems will keep programs and applications well maintained, such as email services, security software, web browsers, data management and bookkeeping. Hardware support systems will maintain the structure of the physical devices, or “homes”, for the software.

For technical support, contact an IT agency. They will help determine which hardware and software you need to execute your services while meeting HIPAA requirements.

Telehealth Checklist for Nursing Homes

Health services are rapidly changing with the development of new technology. Follow these steps to receive the benefits of providing telehealth to your patients:

1. IDENTIFY YOUR MISSION AND GOALS

Determine why you want to offer telehealth services. What is your goal? Why is it important to you? If you feel confident that these services are beneficial to both patients and staff, implement them in alignment with your company’s mission and vision statement.

2. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH HIPAA RULES AND REGULATIONS

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) works directly with Congress to ensure safe and effective telehealth practices. This organization is a great place to start familiarizing yourself with federal and state laws when considering implementing teleservices.

Consider how you will maintain your patients’ safety and privacy and the best way to communicate their rights. Telehealth may be foreign to older adults, increasing the importance of emphasizing their rights during the telehealth process to make them feel more comfortable.

3. MANAGE YOUR LICENSES

Having a multi-state license may be beneficial for telehealth, and some states even developed an out-of-state telehealth license to allow the administering of care across state lines. Before providing telehealth services to your patients, be sure to obtain the appropriate license required by your state.

4. ASSESS NEEDS AND READINESS

If you currently offer a form of telehealth, determine whether your operations are capable of increasing these services to a larger number of patients. Do you have the appropriate amount of space? Does it make sense for you to offer these services remotely? Is your staff trained in these services?

Gather your staff and ask them directly what their needs are. Communication plays a crucial role in the smooth integration of telehealth, so listen to their needs carefully. You may also consider asking some of your patients what their needs are. Make a list of these gaps to develop an accurate implementation procedure.

5. DEVELOP A POLICY

Based on the gaps identified, determine what services to provide. Develop consent procedures, reimbursement procedures, emergency and safety plans, training requirements and staff responsibilities. These policies are critical in determining the quality of care your patients will receive and the efficiency of operations related to HIPAA requirements.

6. GATHER EQUIPMENT

At a minimum, you will need a reliable computer, high definition camera and audio system. Your camera should be of sufficient resolution, and your microphone should capture your voice and eliminate any outside noise to ensure the same quality of traditional in-office healthcare. Contact your IT agency for technical support and to ensure the telecommunication process is HIPAA-compliant.

7. SET UP YOUR TELEHEALTH SPACE

A telehealth space is a room where providers administer the service at the distant site. This room should be well lit, sound-proof, private and have limited distractions, much like a traditional office space.

Once you’ve followed these seven steps, you should be prepared to provide quality telehealth services to your patients. Every teleoperation has different requirements, meaning you will have to personalize some aspects. Track your progress continually and make adjustments as needed.

Contact Prelude Services for Assistance With Your Telehealth Program

No matter the size of your facility or expanse of telehealth operations, our experienced IT technicians are here to offer you strategic planning, support and management. We can help you incorporate reliable technology and equipment to provide quality health services for your remote patients.

When it comes to technical support, we understand that you can’t wait days or even hours for help. Our 24×7 Service Desk provides top-quality support that you can rely on, resolving problems quickly and efficiently so you can continue doing what you do best — providing quality care to your patients. Contact us today to transform your telehealth program.

The post How to Provide Telehealth in Nursing Homes appeared first on Prelude Services.

Though some within the healthcare industry refer to long-term and post-acute care by the same name, they entail separate things. What is the difference between long-term care and acute care? How do trends in information technology fit within both of these sectors? Learning these distinctions is essential for enhancing patient care and healthcare provider efficiency, among many other things. With a better understanding, the medical industry can make necessary improvements within these fields, as well as the entire sector.

What Is Post-Acute Care?

Post-acute care (PAC) encompasses the services people typically receive while recovering from an injury, illness or surgery. This care can occur on either a long- or short-term basis, but it’s not the same as the long-term care discussed here. Its primary purpose is to help people rehabilitate and restore their original functioning. Post-acute organizations can either be freestanding or part of a larger unit. Many of them are outpatient, though some programs also accommodate homebound patients.

Post-acute care can apply to anyone, regardless of age, who needs rehabilitation to regain their well-being. Conversely, long-term care primarily involves senior adults with varying need levels, from physical help with activities of daily living to cognitive challenges. Many hospitals have relationships with post-acute care organizations to monitor the progress of patients they discharge to PAC communities. These partnerships help promote coordinated care efforts for speedier recoveries.

Post-Acute Care Establishments

Four basic types of post-acute care communities exist, and within those, post-acute levels of care vary. Some accept more intensive cases that require a larger medical team and a more detailed treatment plan. These four kinds include:

• Skilled nursing facility (SNF): With limited exceptions, patients typically must receive at least three consecutive days of hospital care before Medicare will pay for SNF stays. These are traditional nursing homes providing continuous care for adults who can no longer live independently.
• Inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF): IRFs combine hospital-level care with intensive rehabilitation to treat patients and help them regain their usual functioning.
• Home health agency (HH): HHs are for homebound patients who receive intermittent nursing and therapy.
• Long-term care hospital (LTCH): Patients who have severe injuries or conditions requiring a high-intensity care level tend to stay in LTCHs. The extended hospital stay provides them with the concentrated care they need to make a sufficient recovery.

Benefits of Post-Acute Care

PAC organizations offer a higher level of assistance to those who’ve just finished an acute hospital stay. If complications occur, it’s faster and easier to get the extra care necessary to prevent issues from worsening. This additional layer of care can also help reduce the chance of readmission, helping patients heal and return to their normal activities sooner.

Unlike LTCHs and acute hospitals, many of these communities have a more home-like setting that also promotes quicker recovery and patient comfort. Providing post-hospital care that meets patient expectations can positively influence recovery, too — a concept some industry professionals call “service after the sale.”

In the debate of long-term acute care versus skilled nursing settings, an SNF is better suited for therapy and residential living. LTCHs serve people with complex, comorbid conditions who need rigorous clinical care and specialized treatment. Though SNFs are more fitting overall for a comfort-first experience, the practice’s size also matters. Large buildings with a clinical quality could feel more impersonal, whereas small communities with a residential home design may help patients trust their needs will be sufficiently met.

Despite its advantages, this form of healthcare does have a few challenges that can make it harder to access. For example, post-acute care insurance like Medicare Advantage (MA) doesn’t cover LTCHs or IRFs. MA networks often exclude providers of these intensive services, meaning the people who need them most may not have access to them. 

Additionally, the prospective payment systems (PPS) for LTCHs and IRFs see much less Medicare spending than other types. IRFs and LTCHs receive $8.5 billion and $3.4 billion respectively, compared to $28.5 billion for SNFs and $16.9 billion for HHs. Higher spending could allow them to expand their communities and upgrade their technology to serve patients better.

POST-ACUTE CARE TECHNOLOGY

Technology is a major part of PAC. Advanced technology helps healthcare providers do their jobs more efficiently and effectively, and it makes rehabilitation easier for patients and their families. Hospitals are also more willing to send individuals to post-acute care organizations that do their best to stay up-to-date with tech improvements, prioritizing successful tech integration and patient satisfaction.

Some types of tech that have become popular in healthcare communities include contact-free sensors, robot-assisted therapy and electronic medical records (EMR). 

PAC settings use various sensors to help protect the well-being of their residents. These include:

• Bed sensors that alert staff when a patient leaves or doesn’t return to their bed.
• Movement sensors that can track patient activity and notify caregivers of a fall.
• Wearable devices that continuously monitor vital signs and send real-time information to medical providers.
• HALO smart sensors for environmental monitoring that help administrators meet compliance requirements.

Therapeutic robots are a newer innovation that are revolutionizing treatment for patients undergoing physical rehabilitation. For example, robots can provide physical support and repetitive activities to those who’ve experienced a stroke, reducing the need to expand the therapy staff.

Electronic medical records offer increased convenience for healthcare providers, enabling a team of medical professionals to seamlessly access and share patient info and streamline care.

With the spread of medical technology comes a need for stricter security measures. Unfortunately, healthcare network data breaches are not uncommon. In 2023, five high-profile cyber attacks on healthcare organizations exposed data on over 43 million patients. High-quality network management services can minimize these kinds of events through security alerts, internet monitoring, fault identification and many more capabilities.

What Is Long-Term Care?

Individuals who receive long-term care may start at an independent living community to age in place and then receive more services as they need them, such as assisted living or skilled nursing care. Medical professionals help residents with daily activities, medications and treatments. Long-term care for elderly people is generally about making their lives more comfortable than addressing acute, post-acute care services. Post-acute care focuses on those who need rehabilitation for a specific issue.

Long-Term Care Communities

Though they may initially seem similar, each long-term care center employs a different approach to senior care. Here are a few of the most common long-term care organizations and how they operate:

• Family-type homes: Each state’s Department of Social Services supervises operations for family-type housing, which provides long-term senior care for four or fewer adults who are unrelated to the operator. The long-term care administrator provides services within their own home instead of a separate setting. This setup is best for adults who can’t live alone anymore but don’t require skilled care.
• Assisted living programs: Assisted living programs are much like nursing homes, though they are more suitable for people who don’t need around-the-clock care. People often transition here from independent living apartments when they need medical and personal assistance. These centers can range in size from 25 to 100 or more residents, with each person receiving a specified level of care.
• Continuing care retirement community: CCRCs combine independent and assisted living. Elders can stay within the same area throughout the different stages of aging, which removes the challenges of relocating and acclimating to a new environment. These communities usually ask for an entry fee and collect a routine maintenance or service fee. Others use a model similar to rental communities. CCRCs offer a handful of contract models, including extensive, modified and fee-for-service.
• Enriched housing: Every U.S. state’s Department of Health oversees the region’s respective enriched housing programs. These buildings have a similar physical layout to independent living spaces, as each person gets their own housing unit. However, individuals still receive benefits like housekeeping and personal care.

Benefits of Long-Term Care Services

Long-term care offers a host of benefits for those who use it. Much like post-acute care campuses, these buildings have a home-like feel and resemble residential living spaces. This quality is especially true in small-scale operations where individuals can pick their meals and customize their daily schedules. Small organizations, in particular, have a lower ratio of residents to staff, meaning every individual can receive the personalized attention they need to thrive.

Long-term care nursing homes offer a suitable place to recover for people who’ve just experienced an acute hospital stay, although most residents are permanent. Individuals can receive 24-hour skilled care and rehabilitation services. In general, long-term care organizations provide well-balanced meals, social activities and private rooms for residents’ comfort. Some studies have linked long-term care communities with better resident wellness.

A recent five-year study of life plan communities — another term for CCRCs — analyzed data from over 8,200 residents and 122 communities nationwide. The findings revealed that residents in these settings routinely reported better overall well-being than those in the community at large, with substantially higher social interaction satisfaction and intellectual engagement.

Long-Term Care Insurance and Technology

Long-term care insurance covers the costs of several types of long-term care, including in-home, nursing home and assisted living care. It’s separate from regular health insurance and Medicare, and it’s recommended adults enroll to avoid paying out-of-pocket for custodial care, as standard policies won’t cover it. Long-term care insurance providers include major companies like MassMutual, Northwestern Mutual and Bankers Life & Casualty.

Seniors aren’t the only ones who benefit from insurance, however. Small to mid-sized healthcare organizations can reap many advantages from investing in cyber liability insurance and enlisting the help of an IT support service. Cybersecurity insurance softens the damage of a data breach by reimbursing the practice for recovery and remediation, business income loss and many related aspects. Long-term care and PAC providers can be especially vulnerable to cyberattacks due to a lack of strict IT safeguards.

Guest networks are a particular point of interest for hackers, especially with the number of seniors now using home assistants and similar devices. A recent survey reported that 88% of adults aged 65 and older regularly use the internet, and 76% own a smartphone. Among those 50 and older, 51% either already owned or were interested in adding smart home devices to their lives. With more connected devices showing up in long-term care settings, many practices are enabling guest networks for easier Wi-Fi access, particularly for visiting relatives.

Though useful, this trend toward high technology can allow malicious individuals to enter a network through hot spots. Some can even physically hack into a community’s systems through Ethernet jacks, which are customary in old buildings. Software support services can enhance database and software performance so programs can withstand attacks from hot spot entry points. Hardware upgrades also remove vulnerabilities that could otherwise become bigger issues if exploited by determined cybercriminals.

Types of Post-Acute Care

The type of post-acute care organization a person is admitted to depends on what kind of health issue they need care for. What is considered post-acute care versus long-term care among healthcare providers? Which health problems are significant enough to warrant a stay in a post-acute setting? Here are a few conditions someone would require long- or short-term personal assistance for: 

• Amputations: Post-acute care programs for people with newly amputated limbs may involve stump care, pain management, use of prostheses and muscle strength exercises. 
• Severe wounds: Post-acute care covers wound treatment or management for chronic wounds like diabetic ulcers. Nutritional therapy is often a part of this strategy.
• Burns: Those in burn recovery undergo strengthening and stretching exercises and wound care. A medical professional may help them with moisturizing their skin, redressing bandages and performing physical activities.
• Stroke: Someone who’s suffered a stroke may need help regaining mobility, speech abilities and other skills. They may follow an integrated healthcare plan that merges a range of treatments, such as occupational and physical therapy.
• Neurological disorders: People with neurological conditions may need speech or occupational therapy to regain cognitive function, improve their mobility and restore their communicative abilities. Occupational therapy can be effective for various things, including fostering problem-solving skills and diminishing cognitive limitations.

Types of Long-Term Care

Long-term care can range from life plan communities to at-home programs. A wide range of choices exists within this form of healthcare, which enables seniors to pick the setup that suits them best. Those who receive home-based care may use services such as:

• Senior companion programs
• Senior transportation 
• Personal care and homemaker services
• Emergency medical alert systems

Assisted living programs offer medication monitoring, emergency care and recreational activities, among other benefits. CCRCs provide many of the same perks as other long-term care options while still enabling older adults to feel independent. SNFs and assisted living programs are the most intensive long-term care types, offering skilled medical assistance for individuals who need higher levels of care.

Contact Prelude Services for Effective IT Solutions Within Long-Term Healthcare

Prelude Services can help you with numerous information technology challenges related to healthcare, including cybersecurity, network management and IT risk management for privacy laws. When families entrust their relatives to your healthcare practice, they trust you’ll provide the utmost security — including guarding sensitive information and efficiently addressing IT vulnerabilities. A trustworthy healthcare center invests in cybersecurity management as much as it invests in its patients.

Whether your long-term care organization needs outsourcing support or enterprise reporting tools, Prelude Services can provide high-quality security management every time. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you streamline operations and strengthen cybersecurity measures.

The post The Differences Between Post-Acute and Long-Term Care appeared first on Prelude Services.

Emergency preparedness for cyber attacks has never been more critical for healthcare providers — or more overlooked.

In fact, only 22 percent of industry professionals say their healthcare organization follows the industry’s cybersecurity best practices. That means 78 percent of organizations and their employees operate without proper internal controls or in-depth knowledge of secure systems, data privacy or malpractices.

Is your healthcare or long-term care organization doing all it can to remain cyber secure, or is it coasting along while crossing its fingers? The answers may surprise you.

What Is Cybersecurity and Why Is It Important?

Cybersecurity refers to today’s defenses of networks, data systems and programs from outside digital attacks. Holistic cybersecurity maintains safe and secure computer networks and all their accompanying data, files and programs while protecting against breaches, leaks or unauthorized access.

Think of it like a moat and castle for your long-term care organization’s online information. Anything employees input into a computer — from medical charting to payment processing to clients’ personal information — can be the target of a cyber attack in the healthcare industry.

Attackers use this personal information for several malicious intents, including identity theft and stealing credit card or banking data.

Cybersecurity is imperative in today’s digital age to prevent these kinds of attacks. Not only do these comprehensive measures protect the day-to-day operations of a business, but they achieve many other technological and public relations essentials:

• Ensure your organization’s data and security is compliant with government regulations
• Relay and maintain consumer trust
• Bolster the reputation of a brand and company name
• Protect and educate employees on cutting-edge industry practices
• Manage a smooth and mutually beneficial relationship between providers and consumers​

Cybersecurity for Long-Term Care Groups 

On top of providing an enhanced quality of life and the utmost autonomy for clients and their families, long-term care organizations need to be as trustworthy and transparent as possible — not only in the way they conduct healthcare operations but also the back-office or behind-the-scenes processes that help the organization run in the first place.

For assisted living and long-term care health providers, consider the following ways in which increased cybersecurity stands to benefit your organization: 

• Supports HIPAA mandates and regulatory measures with which you must already comply
• Sets your organization as an ethical standard in the healthcare industry
• Bolsters the trust and confidence that’s critical to your patients and their loved ones
• Shows your company’s proactive — not reactive — culture
• Sets you apart from industry competitors, who may not be as transparent about their information-technology activities — or speak of them at all
• Guarantees smooth prevention, detection and mitigation readiness in the event of any suspicious activity

No business or organization is immune to security threats. Long-term care security must exist for a brand to represent and maintain its reputation. After all, this reputation is at the heart of everything a health service provides.

How Does Cybersecurity Prevent Attacks? 

Organizations can adapt and implement cybersecurity practices through a series of steps. These steps work to safeguard your clients’ most sensitive information, as well as buffer and build your overall computer networks and programs to make them as secure as possible.

These combined efforts detect and prevent attacks, as well as respond to threats in real time. Read on to learn the most common cybersecurity measures you can employ to avert attacks today.

INTERNAL CONTROLS

• First, a healthcare or long-term care provider can implement audits on current digital practices. These processes serve as an initial layer of cybersecurity defense and give your organization an overall roadmap to handle, store and retrieve current data.
• Identify internal and external parties who have access to personal information, including full- and part-time employees, contractors, staff on assignment, service staff, emergency staff, third-party vendors and more.
• Review how sensitive information enters your systems, plus when, how often and by whom.
• Review data-input training. What are the formal and informal training processes that teach an employee to archive patient information? Do these sessions include IT professionals who provide training on relevant cybersecurity practices?
• Assess any patient information transactions that occur within your organization. How are these transactions communicated? What digital channels are in use, and are there proper security measures installed?

SYSTEM SAFEGUARDS 

Next, cybersecurity measures address the actual computer — its programs, operating systems and storage. System safeguards are identified and constructed to protect these computer programs and keep all their digitized information and code hidden. 

• Firewalls: Anti-virus and antispam firewalls, or security software, are installed to keep malicious computer programs from hacking and accessing your data.
• System updates: Regular updates on security software, plugins, applications, browsers and third-party applets ensure out-of-date programs get refreshed and old system weaknesses get patched.
• Password changes: Implementing routine password changes for employees and for accessing individual computer programs remains a key system safeguard. Mandate passwords to be at least eight characters long, with a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numeric and special characters. Recent studies show that it is best to change strong passwords frequently — at least every three-to-six months.

ENHANCED SECURITY MEASURES

Your organization can adopt additional security measures to prevent cyber attacks, ones that are as cutting-edge as they are cost-effective.

• Encryption: Encrypting all housed data is a growing cybersecurity trend to prevent attacks. Healthcare organizations encrypt data by using in-house or third-party partners who translate all data into a secret code and then file it away. These translated files can only be read by programmed owners who have an encryption key, or by individuals who input an encryption code to “unlock” the file. 
• Online security monitoring: Many third-party organizations can run 24/7 security motorizations that track website traffic and program use, even remotely. You receive alerts and updates and can sometimes even disarm, or shut down, parts of your network if suspicious activity occurs.

TESTING AND RAPID RESPONSE

Last but not least, comprehensive cybersecurity measures will test your entire computer network for weak spots, finding and fixing security gaps before hackers do.

• Penetration testing: Penetration tests are planned attacks your organization can initiate to identify vulnerable system areas. They scan and gain access to your computer’s applications and network, giving you valuable insight into the adequacy of your current security measures.
• Incident response plans: Using all the tools and knowledge of your cybersecurity efforts, your healthcare organization can create an incident response plan in the event of a security breach. Incident response plans guarantee a smooth and proactive action sequence to manage and address any complications, saving you time, money and brand trust.

Keep in mind, cyber risks are continually adapting. As technology and digital trends continue to change, so too must cybersecurity prevention strategies.

Why Long-Term Care Organizations Need Cybersecurity

Long-term care and assisted-living organizations hold a unique place in the healthcare field — and, indeed, across most industries.

They provide thousands of individuals with quality, compassionate care during some of the most poignant phases of life. They are mission-driven and people-first, doing more than just providing medical oversight. These organizations are also community-focused, not only caring for their patients but also their web of family members, friends and loved ones.

Unfortunately, this very nature leaves healthcare and assisted-living organizations vulnerable to attack.

The most likely targets for individual cyber attacks — including phishing, email scams, network attacks and data stealing — are the elderly. Likewise, health care is the most at-risk industry for massive data attacks and breaches, even more so than often-assumed leading targets like banks and investment firms.

Combined, this creates an atmosphere of concern for long-term care organizations and the populations they serve. With hackers targeting this industry more and more, it falls on healthcare organizations to bolster their operations and take this evergreen threat seriously.

In particular, long-term care organizations need to protect against the following cyber threats both for themselves and for their communities:

• Malware: Malware is a harmful type of software that gets downloaded onto a server, computer, or phone often unbeknownst to you. Once downloaded, malware can act as a spy within your system, monitoring computer activity, retrieving stored data, looking up personal information and building digital “back doors” that allow external users to enter your network undetected.
• Phishing attacks: Hackers who carry out phishing attacks disguise themselves as trustworthy sources, either an individual, company or service, to gather personal information directly from a patient. Phishing attacks routinely target less computer-literate populations like the elderly via email to solicit usernames, passwords and even credit card information.
• Online scams: Healthcare professionals and institutions are particularly at risk for financial-based fraud. Here, hackers impersonate individuals within a healthcare network to initiate money transfers or open credit accounts. They do so after accessing medical professionals’ or centers’ credentials to appear legitimate, including Drug Enforcement Agency ID numbers, medical licenses and pharmaceutical certificates.
• DDoS attacks: Distributed denial of service, or DDoS, is a phrase that refers to increasingly popular operations that flood a network until it becomes overwhelmed and shuts down. For long-term care providers and related industries, a broken network poses substantial risks, including losing appointment schedules and requests, stalling test results, blocking patient records and transferring any treatment information.
• Data breaches: The broadest and widest-reaching cybersecurity threats, healthcare data breaches target personal health information (PHI) to sell on the black market. Medical databases store large swaths of PHI, and PHI is also the most valuable material sold on the black market today — more so than credit card information and Social Security numbers.

Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures for Health and Long-Term Care

Luckily, there’s an ever-growing body of products, procedures and technologies long-term care professionals can adopt to bolster their cybersecurity efforts. The safest patient-data infrastructures will follow these general policies and practices.

Policies

All care and service employees should be familiar with formally written and installed guidelines, and they should be part of an organization’s internal structure. Policies related to cybersecurity should all reinforce:

• Proper compliance with HIPAA and CMS conditions of participation, as well as any additional local or federal healthcare regulations.
• A sense of structure and stability when responding to detected or revealed cyber threats.
• Accountability in the event of a data breach, scam or fraudulent activity.
• Clear and understandable role-specific actions in the event of a data breach, scam or fraudulent activity, so all employees and service contractors can respond with quick and appropriate behavior.
• Mirror health care’s code of ethics and best professional practices.​

Procedures

Long-term care institutions must also apply the very policies they preach. Alongside these formal written rules, these organizations can practice and update cybersecurity measures through:

• New employee orientations. When training new staff, be sure to include sessions on the proper care, input, transfer and handling of all personal health information.
• Recurring employee training. Review and assess these patient-data storage and retrieval procedures, as well as review any new software programs or updates that affect patient data systems.
• Adopt access control. Identify key stakeholders and employees who need unimpeded access to patient data. Ensure controlled access throughout any employee transitions.
• Anonymize and encrypt personal data whenever possible. This step protects against malware and other cyber threats, while additionally ensuring only authorized individuals can access and read sensitive information.
• Pair every action step with a role. Leave no cybersecurity-related role up to interpretation. Make sure every employee knows their responsibilities in both day-to-day data protection and in more extreme cases of attacks and breaches.

How to Prepare for a Cyber Attack

Given the sensitive nature of long-term care organizations and the populations they serve, plus the black-market value of PHI, it’s never been more important to handle and host patient data safely. Your long-term care organization can begin preparations today by partnering with industry cybersecurity specialists like Prelude, in three relevant stages. 

PREVENTION

• Install email and spam filters. The recommendation may seem obvious, particularly if you use an email system with built-in spam detection. However, don’t assume you have everything you need. Services like Prelude build advanced email and spam filters that are more sophisticated lines of defense against fraud and phishing attacks, not to mention other issues like drive-by downloads or particularly tech-advanced malware.
• Set up proxy servers with thorough protective measures. The very nature of healthcare and long-term care services often requires proxy servers. These are digital gateways of sorts, a go-between that connects your in-house computers and network with external servers and the wider Internet. Prelude provides proxies for Internet connections, which help you keep up with increased external traffic and requests, plus securely manages and funnels network messages with web filtering management applications. Since proxy servers are the frequent target of malware attacks, Prelude can help shore up their defenses to keep your data and web transactions secure.
• Implement the latest link analysis, URL and attachment sandboxing. For email security, in particular, use sandboxing technology to track and identify inbound links and attachments before you open them. Prelude provides link and attachment analysis and will flag suspicious materials in its full-package anti-SPAM solution, which then prevents employees from clicking problematic or suspicious content. Once a contaminated link or attachment enters your systems, it’s expensive and time-consuming at its very least to remove. Prelude helps you filter it from the start. 

DETECTION

• Conduct advanced malware analysis. Whether your service stores patient data in the cloud or in-house, installing and maintaining an advanced malware analysis suite will ensure everything remains uncompromised and secure. Prelude provides malware protection with best-of-breed EndPoint Protection products from trusted software like McAfee, Malwarebytes and more. We help you install and manage this protective software and make it work for your network needs, on-site or remotely. 
• Undergo penetration testing. Conduct penetration tests or partner with a third-party service like Prelude to find and assess security loopholes your organization might have. What’s more, full-service IT outsourcing operations like Prelude already run frequent penetration tests on our own data centers using industry-leading security scanning tools. These same tools can be packaged and brought straight to your care facility to tests to run in-house penetration tests. 
• Regularly update plugins. Popular plugins such as Java, Adobe, Adobe Flash and certain Microsoft extensions are the most predisposed to outside attacks. Never skip updates on them, as old versions are prone to gaps and holes attackers can manipulate. A security partner like Prelude will perform regular software tests to ensure your applications are up-to-speed, plus check them against our own inventory management software for maximum plugin protection.

MITIGATION

• Devise a crisis communication plan in the event of a data breach. On top of formal data policies and procedures, ensure your long-term care institution has an in-depth, actionable crisis communications plan. These plans outline your step-by-step, internal and external processes to handle a data breach, including reporting the breach with relevant authorities, notifying affected patients, addressing the source of the breach and shoring up system defenses. All this is part of larger IT strategic planning, which Prelude regularly consults on. 
• Consider cyber-insurance policies. Growing waves of healthcare institutions have turned to cyber-insurance for assurance their business will remain protected in the event of a cyber breach. These policies work like other insurances, providing recovery funds for damages accrued because of cyber attacks as well as coverage from certain legal ramifications.

Does Your Cybersecurity Meet Your Healthcare Organization’s Needs? 

Bringing your long-term care security up-to-date is easy and effective with the right partner.

Prelude Services delivers innovative and cost-effective IT solutions to more than 700 senior living, long-term care, affordable housing and community service organizations across the nation. Our clients depend on us just as your patients depend on you, with unique expectations we continually exceed.

Longterm Care IT Services In Central PA

Contact our team of IT experts today, or submit a service request to see what Prelude Services can take off your long-term care plate.

The post Cybersecurity for Long-Term Care Providers appeared first on Prelude Services.

Senior care organizations have unique cybersecurity needs that their outsourced IT services must meet. At a long-term care facility, every data point represents a person. When that data becomes compromised, the people you care for are at risk. Discover critical cybersecurity issues in senior care and what IT teams and organizations can do to combat them.

What Makes Cybersecurity for Senior Living Providers Important?

The healthcare industry faces many more data risks than other industries. In 2016, a study by the Ponemon Institute found that nearly 90 percent of the healthcare organizations they surveyed had a data breach in the past two years. According to cyber security organizations, healthcare experiences over twice as many cybersecurity threats as the average industry. During the fourth quarter of 2017, attacks rose by 82 percent from the previous quarter. CSO cites reasons such as:

• Healthcare’s comparatively low level of cybersecurity development
• The high value and volume of healthcare data
• How long it takes to detect medical fraud compared to other fraud types
• Advancements in cybercrime

Also, the senior living industry doesn’t have cybersecurity regulations specific to its requirements. This absence is not necessarily due to neglect but because long-term care security needs change on a daily basis. Technology grows at an exponential rate, making it difficult to protect data from future developments. An organization’s leadership must devote extra effort to safeguarding their residents’ information.

Special Considerations for Long-Term Care Security

The senior care industry’s unique qualities add a few challenges to cybersecurity. Care facilities tend to be smaller operations than other businesses. They have lower budgets and fewer staff members. The size of these organizations makes it difficult for them to devote resources to fighting cyber threats. Also, senior retirement organizations must follow government regulations like HIPAA, HITECH and NIST. While these laws provide added security, they also put a further strain on resources.

• Use secure passwords: A password that includes lower-case letters, upper-case letters, numbers and symbols provides the highest level of security. You can follow these rules while creating an easy-to-remember password at the same time. For example, instead of using “sunshine” as a password, replace the letters to create a password like “SunSh1n3!.”
• Control database permissions: Change your database’s settings so that employees see only relevant data. Most programs let you assign permissions to individual staff members. When an employee leaves, immediately remove their account from the system.
• Run antivirus and malware scans: Paid security software completes more thorough scans than the free versions. However, any antivirus is better than no antivirus.

Cybersecurity for Senior Citizens

If you give residents access to the Internet, you must teach them about basic cybersecurity practices. Include tips in your organization’s resident newsletter, or provide in-person training. Use spam filters to prevent fraud emails from reaching their inboxes.

IT Networking Software in Central PA

We founded Prelude Services on the idea that every long-term care organization should have access to IT software and security. Contact us to see how we can help your community.

The post The Importance of Cybersecurity in Senior Living Organizations appeared first on Prelude Services.