Four in Five U.S. Physicians Have Had a Cyberattack in Their Clinical Practices, Says Survey by Accenture & the American Medi...
December 12 2017 - 5:03AM
Business Wire
Survey reveals physicians see need for
increased cybersecurity support
More than four in five U.S. physicians (83 percent) have
experienced some form of a cybersecurity attack, according to new
research released today by Accenture (NYSE:ACN) and the American
Medical Association (AMA). This, along with additional findings,
signals a call to action for the health care sector to increase
cybersecurity support for medical practices in their
communities.
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The findings, which examined the experiences of roughly 1,300
U.S. physicians, underscore the recognition that it is not “if” but
“when” a cyberattack will occur. More than half (55 percent) of the
physicians were very or extremely concerned about future
cyberattacks in their practice. In addition, physicians were most
concerned that future attacks could interrupt their clinical
practices (cited by 74 percent), compromise the security of patient
records (74 percent) or impact patient safety (53 percent).
“The important role of information sharing within clinical care
makes health care a uniquely attractive target for cyber criminals
through computer viruses and phishing scams that, if successful,
can threaten care delivery and patient safety,” said AMA President
David O. Barbe, M.D., M.H.A. “New research shows that most
physicians think that securely exchanging electronic data is
important to improve health care. More support from the government,
technology and medical sectors would help physicians with a
proactive cybersecurity defense to better ensure the availability,
confidentially and integrity of health care data.”
The findings show the most common type of cyberattack was
phishing – cited by more than half (55 percent) of physicians who
experienced an attack – followed by computer viruses (48 percent).
Physicians from medium and large practices were twice as likely as
those in small practices to experience these types of attacks.
Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of all the physicians who
experienced a cyberattack experienced up to four hours of downtime
before they resumed operations, and approximately one-third (29
percent) of physicians in medium-sized practices that experienced a
cyberattack said they experienced nearly a full day of
downtime.
In addition, the vast majority (85 percent) of physicians
believe it is very or extremely important to share personal health
data outside of their health system – they just want to do it
safely. Two-thirds believe that greater access to patient data both
inside (cited by 67 percent) and outside (65 percent) their health
system would help them provide quality patient care more
efficiently. In addition, a significant majority (83 percent) of
physicians said that HIPAA compliance alone is insufficient and
that a more holistic approach to assessing and prioritizing risks
is needed.
“Physician practices should not rely on compliance alone to
enhance their security profile,” said Kaveh Safavi, M.D., J.D.,
head of Accenture’s global health practice. “Keeping pace with the
sophistication of cyberattacks demands that physicians strengthen
their capabilities, build resilience and invest in new technologies
to support a foundation of digital trust with patients.”
These findings are part of a research collaboration between the
AMA and Accenture to raise physician awareness and understanding of
cybersecurity practices. More information on the findings can be
found in the research deck and infographic.
MethodologyAccenture and the American Medical Association
(AMA) surveyed 1,300 physicians in the United States to assess
their experience and attitudes toward cybersecurity, data
management and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines. The online survey was
conducted between July 2017 and August 2017. To support the survey,
in-depth research and 12 phone interviews were conducted prior with
physicians, technology officers and administrators.
About the American Medical AssociationThe American
Medical Association is the premier national organization providing
timely, essential resources to empower physicians, residents and
medical students to succeed at every phase of their medical lives.
Physicians have entrusted the AMA to advance the art and science of
medicine and the betterment of public health on behalf of patients
for more than 170 years. For more information, visit
ama-assn.org.
About AccentureAccenture is a leading global professional
services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions
in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.
Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more
than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the
world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the
intersection of business and technology to help clients improve
their performance and create sustainable value for their
stakeholders. With approximately 425,000 people serving clients in
more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the
way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171212005217/en/
AccentureJenn Francis, +1
630-338-6426Jennifer.francis@accenture.comorAmerican Medical
AssociationRobert J. Mills, +1
312-464-5970robert.mills@ama-assn.org
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