Data security in healthcare: why NEN-7510 and ISO:27001 are essential

Imagine this: you share your medical records with your doctor. Everything from your latest blood test to your allergies. It's personal, sometimes sensitive, data that you expect to remain secure. But what if this info falls into the wrong hands? That would be disastrous, right? That's why data security in healthcare is SO important. Fortunately, there are strict regulations, such as NEN-7510 and ISO 27001, that ensure your data is well protected.

Why should data security be top priority in healthcare?

Healthcare facilities work with loads of sensitive data: medical records, treatment plans and personal information such as your citizen service number. All this information is not only valuable to you and your healthcare provider, but also - unfortunately - to hackers. A data breach in healthcare has far-reaching consequences, not only financially, but especially for the trust patients have in their healthcare provider.

Digitization in healthcare has enormous benefits, but it also brings risks. Think of online consultations, e-health apps, and electronic patient records. Without proper security, you are quickly a target for cybercriminals. That's why strict data security standards are crucial, and that's where NEN-7510 and ISO 27001 come in.

What is NEN-7510?

NEN-7510 is the Dutch standard for information security in healthcare. This standard explains how healthcare organizations can keep their sensitive information secure. It is a kind of manual for how to make sure that no one can just access your medical data. It's all about protecting confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.

Here's an example: imagine you work in a hospital and have access to patient records. Thanks to NEN-7510, any person logging in must pass some access control, such as an additional authentication step. This way, only the right people can access the right data. In case something does go wrong, such as a data breach, NEN-7510 also helps create a plan to mitigate the damage.

And what does ISO 27001 do?

ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security. Whereas NEN-7510 is specific to healthcare in the Netherlands, ISO 27001 applies worldwide. It provides guidelines on how organizations should secure their information, and how to continuously improve it. Innovattic is proud to be both NEN-7510 and ISO 27001 certified, which means that we meet the highest standards when it comes to data security.

How do these standards make healthcare more secure?

Both standards make healthcare organizations not only look at technology, but also at the people and processes involved in data security. It's about creating a “security culture” within organizations so that everyone - from doctors to administrative staff - is aware of the risks and knows how to handle data safely.

How can you make your healthcare facility more secure?

Securing sensitive data doesn't have to be complicated, but it is something you need to actively work on. Here are a few simple steps that can help you:

1. Make sure you have an ISMS (Information Security System): This is a system that helps you address data security in a structured way. Complying with NEN-7510 and ISO 27001 is a must.
2. Awareness among employees: Your team is your first line of defense. Make sure everyone understands the importance of data security and how to handle data securely.
3. Regular audits: Have an occasional audit done to check that your systems and processes are still up-to-date and meet the latest requirements. This helps detect vulnerabilities before they become a problem.
4. Work with a trusted partner: Innovattic is ready to help you with secure software solutions that meet the most stringent security requirements.

Conclusion.

Data security is indispensable in healthcare. With the increase of digital healthcare applications, it is more important than ever to properly secure patient data. By complying with the NEN-7510 and ISO 27001 standards, you can do so in a structured and secure way. Innovattic helps you with solutions that are not only secure, but also easy to use. Contact us and find out how we can help your healthcare organization to work more securely!