Industry regulations also specify how sensitive data in motion needs to be handled. Common

regulations like GDPR, HIPAA and SOC 2 have varying requirements for managing the

transfer and movement of data traffic.

Therefore, how healthcare companies manage and secure their networks is as critical as any other form of security. Without complying to these regulations, enterprises face barriers to innovation in healthcare.

Important Guidance, Standards and Regulations Across APAC 

It’s vital to be aware of current guidance, standards and regulations effecting healthcare enterprises in APAC and across the world. The following are some key regulations enterprises must comply with: 

• ISO 27001 – The internationally recognised specification for an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It is one of the most popular standards for information security. The basic goal of ISO 27001 is to protect three aspects of information:

• Confidentiality: only the authorised persons have the right to access information.

• Integrity: only the authorised persons can change the information.

• Availability: the information must be accessible to authorised persons whenever it is needed.

• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) – US federal law that sets a national standard to protect medical records and other personal health information. 

• SOC 2 – SOC 2 compliance is part of the American Institute of CPAs’ Service Organization Control reporting platform. It outlines five trust service principles of security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data as a framework for safeguarding data.

Keeping Data Safe and Secure

Enterprises must maintain security of data when it is at rest or in motion performed with a high-performance encryption, implement role-based control of network and application access and reduce vulnerability with common security protocols which are consistent and easy to deploy and manage. They must also provide visibility and control over how data is transported, removing it from sightless and control-less exposure via public internet.

Healthcare enterprises also have a responsibility to limit access to information and according to real business needs for both physical and logical access and make proper use of encryption solutions to protect the confidentiality, authenticity, and integrity of information. It’s critical they ensure that IT systems are protected against data loss and have the means to record events and generate evidence, verification of vulnerabilities and make precautions to prevent audit activities from affecting operations.

Other Steps Enterprises Must Implement

It’s not just important for healthcare enterprises to establish methods of compliance, it’s a compulsory factor of sensitive data handling. Compliance helps deliver a higher quality of care, so enterprises must do their utmost to hold their employees to a high standard thorough regular compliance training and monitoring. To keep up with the growing complexity of regulations, healthcare organisations should regularly review procedures against regulations to ensure a ‘best practice’ approach is taken.

In addition to the internal methods and processes healthcare enterprises should adopt, to achieve a consistent connectivity environment that prioritises security, enterprises should look to third-party cloud networking provider. By utilising end-to-end cloud solutions across single and multi-cloud services with compliance at the core, enterprises can enhance their cloud security, better protect their patients’ data and comply with required regulations. 

Simplifying the Process

Whilst the focus is on the protection of customer data and information at rest, most industry regulations also specify how sensitive data in motion needs to be handled. Compliance can provide a stable foundation for digital transformation in healthcare and holds the key to innovating and utilising the cloud in new ways. 

These standards, regulations and guidance are comprehensive, and it is crucial that enterprises in the healthcare sector take the necessary steps to comply. As healthcare moves to the cloud, more than basic networking and security is required to achieve compliance. 

Compliance can be overwhelming for healthcare enterprises, but the process can be simplified with a trusted partner. By partnering with an expert cloud networking provider that ensures its solutions are fully compliant, with advanced monitoring and operational visibility, you can store data in the cloud with confidence.