The post Is Your Hospital ETDBW? appeared first on Interbit Data.

Unfortunately, we’re seeing the consequences.
I’ve spoken to hospitals running Biomedical devices on Windows XP and Windows 7. These are ticking time bombs in today’s threat landscape.

The tragic case in Alabama*—where a newborn died and the hospital failed to disclose an active ransomware infection—has opened the legal floodgates. Transparency is no longer optional; it’s a matter of trust and safety.

Cyber insurance is no substitute for a cybersecurity strategy. Insurers are tightening their grip, and many now require incidents to be reported to them first, before the hospital even responds. This shift speaks volumes about how underprepared many organizations still are.

It’s time we treat cybersecurity as clinical infrastructure. Let’s move beyond EHR swaps and start investing in the less glamorous, but far more vital, pillars of secure and resilient healthcare IT.

The post Time to Reframe the “Shiny Object” in Healthcare IT appeared first on Interbit Data.

As a healthcare professional, have you been reflecting on your downtime processes lately? Downtime has always been a challenge in healthcare, and its solutions have evolved significantly over the years. Reflecting on the past, it’s remarkable how much has changed—from the days of party lines in rural Georgia, where telecommunication privacy was virtually nonexistent, to the modern era of advanced electronic systems. Just 25 years ago, paper-based processes were the only fallback option during electronic health record (EHR) outages. While the transition to digital systems has brought immense progress, downtime remains inevitable due to system upgrades, hardware or software malfunctions, human errors, and cybersecurity threats. Preparing for these disruptions effectively is vital for fostering resilience and advancing cyber maturity in healthcare organizations.

It is not surprising that many organizations still rely on reverting to paper-based processes during system outages, a seemingly cost-effective and straightforward solution. However, while paper may provide an immediate fallback, it carries significant risks that compromise patient safety, data integrity, and operational efficiency. Below, we explore five critical vulnerabilities associated with using paper as a primary downtime strategy:

1. Patient Safety Risks

• Delayed or Inaccurate Care: Paper documentation lacks real-time access to vital patient data such as medical histories, allergies, or current medications. This absence increases the likelihood of medication errors, duplicate treatments, and misdiagnoses, particularly in high-acuity settings like emergency departments (EDs) or intensive care units (ICUs).
• Loss of Decision Support Systems: Electronic systems offer critical safeguards, including alerts for drug interactions, abnormal lab results, and evidence-based clinical guidelines. Transitioning to paper during downtime strips away these tools, heightening the risk of preventable adverse events.

2. Data Integrity and Regulatory Compliance Concerns

• Unstructured and Incomplete Documentation: Handwritten records are prone to illegibility, omissions, and inconsistent terminology, compromising continuity of care and failing to meet medical record documentation standards.
• HIPAA and Security Risks: Paper forms are vulnerable to unauthorized access, misplacement, or loss, violating HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules. Unlike electronic systems, paper lacks audit trails and access controls, posing a significant compliance risk.
• Lack of Audit Capabilities: Paper-based processes cannot fulfill the traceability requirements mandated by NIST 800-53 AU (Audit and Accountability) family controls, making them unsuitable for regulated audit scenarios.

3. Operational Inefficiency

• Manual Re-Entry Challenges: Data collected on paper must later be transcribed into the electronic health record (EHR), introducing errors and creating costly backlogs that hinder workflow efficiency.
• Disconnected Workflows: Unlike electronic systems, paper does not integrate with ancillary systems such as pharmacy, laboratory, or radiology. This results in delayed or lost orders, unlinked diagnostic results, and gaps in billing processes.
• Inventory and Medication Management Issues: Without electronic medication administration records (eMARs) and supply chain systems, facilities risk mismanagement of critical resources, leading to under- or over-utilization.

4. Financial and Business Continuity Impact

• Revenue Loss from Unbilled Services: Inaccuracies or omissions in paper records lead to lost charge capture during downtime, directly affecting cash flow and hospital revenue.
• Scalability and Standardization Gaps: Paper-based processes vary widely across departments, making it impossible to implement consistent, testable, and scalable downtime workflows.

5. Security and Disaster Recovery Weaknesses

• Inherently Insecure: Physical paper forms are susceptible to theft, damage, or improper disposal, failing to meet NIST 800-53 SC (System and Communications Protection) or CP (Contingency Planning) requirements.
• No Reliable Recovery Path: Unlike backed-up electronic systems, paper forms offer no clean restoration point. Reconciling and transcribing paper-based records post-downtime is labor-intensive, error-prone, and fraught with risk.

The communication technologies of the 1950s and 1960s, like party lines, have long been replaced by advanced options such as 5G cellular networks, Starlink, and other satellite-based services. Similarly, healthcare organizations must move beyond outdated downtime strategies rooted in the 1990s reliance on paper-based processes. Instead, adopting innovative, secure, and scalable solutions is essential to safeguarding patient safety, data integrity, and operational resilience.

Robust solutions equipped with contingency planning and cybersecurity measures are the cornerstone of effective downtime management. These solutions enable seamless recovery of operations during disruptions while mitigating risks across clinical, operational, and financial dimensions.

I am committed to guiding organizations in developing modern downtime protocols that align with industry standards and best practices. Solutions that go beyond paper, much like our world of communication has gone beyond party lines.

The path to resilience begins with a clear understanding of your risks—and the proactive measures needed to address them. If you are interested in having a conversation around your downtime processes, I would love to talk with you more at gmcallister@interbitdata.com.

The post Rethinking Downtime Processes: Beyond Paper-Based Strategies appeared first on Interbit Data.

Yet, hospitals don’t have to resort to pen and paper when systems are compromised. Clinicians can still access patient reports, view medication administration records, and even register new patients with Interbit BeaconSafe. BeaconSafe keeps operations running smoothly—so clinicians can focus on what matters most: patient care.

Downtime should never mean disruption. The right safeguards make all the difference. Is your hospital prepared to maintain continuity when cyber threats strike?

The post Keeping Patient Care Flowing—Even During a Cyberattack appeared first on Interbit Data.

The cost of system downtime for healthcare organizations averages $7,900 per minute—adding up to $11 million per day. And the number of ransomware attacks continues to climb: In 2023, 143 healthcare organizations faced ransomware incidents, exposing over 26 million patient records.

With BeaconSafe by Interbit, downtime doesn’t mean disruption. By securely storing patient data on a separate server, BeaconSafe keeps critical information accessible even when your main EHR system is offline. That means uninterrupted patient care, reduced financial risk, and a stronger, more resilient operation.

Let’s discuss how we can build resilience into your downtime strategy to ensure operational continuity.

The post Downtime Doesn’t Have to Mean Dollars Lost appeared first on Interbit Data.

Familiar Look and Feel: A solution that mimics the existing EHR interface reduces training time and minimizes errors during stressful downtime periods. Intuitive operation further enhances efficiency and user satisfaction. 

Emulate Existing Workflows: The solution should seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, allowing staff to continue tasks without significant adjustments. This minimizes disruption and maintains productivity. 

Flexibility: A versatile solution can adapt to various downtime scenarios, whether it’s a planned system upgrade or an unexpected outage. Flexibility ensures that the solution remains effective in diverse circumstances. 

Reliability: A downtime solution must be dependable and accessible when needed. It should have robust redundancy and failover mechanisms to prevent service interruptions. 

Sustainability: Consider the long-term costs and maintenance requirements of the solution. A sustainable option will provide value over time and avoid unexpected expenses. 

Isolation: The solution should be isolated from the primary EHR system to prevent data corruption and ensure data integrity during downtime. 

Integration: Seamless integration with other hospital systems, such as lab and radiology, is crucial for comprehensive patient information access. 

Communications: Effective communication tools within the downtime solution are essential for coordinating care and sharing critical patient information among staff. 

Built-in Testing & QC: Regular testing and quality control measures are vital to ensure the solution’s reliability and accuracy. 

Not an EMR: The solution should be a dedicated downtime tool, not a full-fledged EMR. This prevents unnecessary complexity and ensures focus on essential functions during downtime. 

Support and Service: It’s critical to ensure that the vendor is knowledgeable, accessible, and have the resources to provide support and service as you might require. 

Trusted Advisor: This is a critical collaboration. Make sure you are working with someone you trust to understand your business & have your interests in mind. 

By carefully evaluating these factors, healthcare organizations can select a downtime solution that effectively supports patient care and operational continuity during system outages. We invite you to download this checklist to use as a tool for yourself. 

The post Essential Factors for a Hospital Downtime Solution appeared first on Interbit Data.

Yet when the systems go down, understanding the true reality of EHR downtime costs—and all the nuances associated with an event—can be eye-opening. 

Between 2012 and 2018, 166 hospitals had 701 days of downtime in 43 events, and nearly half of the events were cyberattacks, a 2020 study in the Health Informatics Journal found. 

Both planned and unplanned downtime and cyber events cause a significant and immediate impact on operations and care, leave a hospital vulnerable to patient safety and compliance risks, cause a ripple effect across all departments, and lead to negative downstream effects that drive costs and impact long-term profitability. 

The true picture of EHR downtime costs

As hospitals continue to cope with slim operating margins, high costs, and labor shortages, it’s imperative that they look at how to calculate EHR downtime costs to understand the full impact on their bottom line. 

Here’s what your hospital should keep in mind when you’re calculating EHR downtime costs.

1. Operations that are modified—or have come to a halt

One of the most significant EHR downtime costs are attributed to hospital operations that must be altered or stopped altogether. 

Without the EHR, care continuity during downtime can be significantly impacted.

Doctors don’t have access to their patients’ medical history, medications, and other critical data, they lack clinical decision support during documentation, and may have to revert to manual, paper processes that waste time, resources, and money.

An EHR downtime may also prevent hospitals from admitting new patients, performing procedures and surgery, and sending prescriptions, to name a few. 

A 2019 study in the journal Applied Clinical Informatics, conducted at two U.S. hospitals, found that during a downtime, lab test results were delayed by an average of 62% compared to normal operations.

Hospitals also may not be able to provide the appropriate level of care and have to transfer patients in the ICU to other hospitals, for example.

Revenue cycle disruptions and lost charges are equally problematic, and a major concern when a cyberattack event lasts more than a few weeks. 

The real financial cost to hospitals is astronomical, and it has deep downstream effects on cash flow and operations.

2. Patient safety risks

A lack of clinical data access during downtimes and cyber events can lead to a lack of care coordination, treatment delays, medical errors, and other risks to patient safety.

For example, medications—and the dose—can be incorrectly prescribed or administered, leading to adverse drug reactions, allergic reactions, and the potential for hospital readmissions.  

Plus, downtime and cyber events can prevent hospitals from having critical, life-saving information when unresponsive patients arrive in the ED.

3. Recovery efforts and audits

Cyberattacks in healthcare are on the rise, with nearly 50% of hospital executives who say they had to shut down because of a cyberattack in the last 6 months, a 2021 report found.

Of those:

• Large hospitals were down for 6.2 hours on average, costing them $21,500 per hour.
• Midsize hospitals were down for 10 hours on average, costing them $45,700 per hour. 

When an EHR downtime event occurs due to a cyberattack, the IT team will be focused on bringing systems back online, recovering patient records, conducting system audits, and protecting patient privacy—all of which contribute to costs.

4. Staff productivity

Another factor to consider when it comes to calculating EHR downtime costs are altered workflows and reduced staff productivity.

Staff are not able to do their jobs as well, or the hospital may have to pay staff who are unable to work. 

Plus, the frustration, stress, and burnout they experience because of an EHR downtime can all drive costs.

5. Reputation and referrals  

It’s also important to look at the long-term effects and damage downtime and cyber events can have on a hospital’s reputation.

Without access to treatment and medication updates, patient satisfaction,  

HCAHPS scores, patient loyalty, and word-of-mouth referrals can all be negatively impacted, which can affect a hospital’s long-term profitability. 

Additionally, there are likely costs associated with marketing and public relations efforts to restore trust in the organization and rebuild their reputation and brand recognition.

6. Compliance violations

Data breaches that result from EHR downtimes are costly for hospitals. 

According to Ponemon Institute’s annual Cost of a Data Breach Report, for the tenth consecutive year, healthcare had the highest average breach costs which totaled $7.13 million—up 10.5% since 2019. 

Losing data in and of itself is costly, but downtime and cyber events that compromise protected health information (PHI) can also be a compliance risk. 

The HIPAA Privacy Rule mandates hospitals to comply with its data security and integrity standards, and the penalties and fines for noncompliance are substantial—up to $50,000 per violation. 

Now is the time for hospitals to look to new solutions to protect their patients and their organizations during downtime events and drive revenue. 

Our new Beacon platform enables secure access to—and availability of—critical hospital information during planned, unplanned, or cyberattack events to ensure clinical and business continuity and patient safety.

To learn more or schedule a demo, contact us today.

The post 6 Factors to consider when calculating real EHR downtime costs appeared first on Interbit Data.

Yet it wasn’t that long ago. 

EHRs saw widespread adoption only in the past decade or so, when the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act passed in 2009. 

The act was designed to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology, and with that came EHRs.

 Today, more than 95% of U.S. hospitals have an EHR. 

Although they have helped to drive better care, improve patient safety, and increase operational efficiency, the time spent in the EHR is taking providers away from delivering the care patients deserve. 

According to a 2020 study in the journal PLoS One, that was conducted at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, physicians spend nearly 40% of their work day on the EHR. 

Not only is the work required in EHRs time consuming, but many of the solutions have limitations. 

Multidisciplinary care teams within a hospital, as well as the health systems they work with, such as labs, pharmacies, and SNFs, as well as payers, require information beyond the EHR. 

Plus, with so many disparate sources, formats, communication methods, and destinations, and a lack of interoperability, getting the right information to the right place with the least amount of friction is challenging, if not impossible. 

Optimal workflows for EHR report distribution lead to better care, mitigate risk

Hospitals who deploy the right workflows for EHR report distribution see the following benefits: 

• Improved quality of care 
• Seamless care coordination 
• Increase in patient safety 
• More referrals
• Increased efficiency and productivity 
• Less staff frustration 

3 Workflow basics for EHR report distribution

As hospitals continue to contend with slim operating margins and staffing shortages, and try to keep pace with ever-changing payer rules all the while prioritizing quality and the patient experience, we’ve outlined 3 basics for establishing hospital communication workflows for EHR report distribution that will be critical to staying afloat.  

1. Complete integration, regardless of EHR. The ability to collect critical patient data from any source, format, or method regardless of EHR vendor, and distribute it in an encrypted and HIPAA- or PHIPA-compliant format to multiple destinations inside and outside the hospital. 
2. User-specific preferences. Overcome the challenges of interoperability with the capability for users to automatically send and receive communications in their desired formats, which increases throughput and referrals, and improves staff satisfaction. For example, patient reports can be sent in an email, while abnormal test results can be sent via secure text. 
3. Flexibility. Drive efficiency and save time with the ability to design and configure new—or complement—existing communication workflows. 

Beacon: EHR report distribution solution

Beacon is our vendor-agnostic platform that manages, stores, and distributes the critical patient information hospitals need, at the right time, and with their format and delivery preferences in mind. 

Our platform supports EHRs like MEDITECH and Epic to automatically and securely distribute healthcare reports, tests, lab results, and any other patient information to improve patient safety, operational efficiency, and drive revenue for your organization.    

To learn more or schedule a demo, contact us today. 

The post EHR report distribution: 3 workflow basics for hospital efficiency appeared first on Interbit Data.

A downtime can include something as small as the EHR being unavailable at a particular workstation to something more widespread like a network and internet outage that affects all workstations throughout a health system. 

Regardless of how significant the downtime is, however, the impact can be felt throughout a health system and its patients. 

Cyberattacks, in particular, are on the rise and now a top priority for hospitals.

A recent Bloomberg survey of CTOs from various industries, including healthcare, found that cybersecurity was an area of expertise demanded most at their organizations, and 61% will increase technology spending in the next 12 months. 

Unfortunately, most hospitals we speak to don’t have a technology-driven downtime strategy in place, often because they think that identifying a solution is too time-consuming or arduous to deploy. 

Or they have an outdated or limited mitigation strategy which isn’t enough. 

While some hospitals do have a solution in place, it’s often costly and may not be reliable enough to ensure care continuity during downtimes. 

What’s more, when the internet or network is down, oftentimes the cloud-based solutions are not equipped to provide on-premise information at the point of care because their solutions rely on the cloud. 

Techno-iatrogenesis has created this inability to function when the EMR is not available. 

When the EMR or network is unavailable, clinicians react like teenagers who had their smartphones taken away.

5 Healthcare downtime mistakes to avoid

Although hospitals know how costly downtime events can be, most make crucial mistakes when it comes to having a strategy in place.

1. Paper processes

Most hospitals have an unnecessary dependency on paper during downtimes—printing copies of records and distributing them to staff. 

Not only is this time-consuming and costly—and can lead to frustration, stress, and burnout—but the patient’s care journey becomes fragmented, and safety risks can surface. 

Without all of the critical information about a patient’s care journey and clinical decision support that’s available in the EHR, providers are forced to piece everything together and try to paint the whole picture. 

Relying on paper records also runs the risk that they will get mixed up or misplaced. 

And if providers don’t get the information they need in a timely manner, errors can occur.

2. False reliance on the cloud

Many hospitals think that when it comes to their healthcare downtime strategy, the cloud is the optimal solution, but research shows it may not be. 

According to a 2019 report by Netwrix, 32% of healthcare organizations store critical data in the cloud, yet 18% say they would consider moving their data back on-premises. 

The reasons? 

• Security concerns (56%) 
• Reliability and performance issues (22%) 
• High costs (22%) associated with the cloud 

While the cloud can be a backup, it’s not protection from monthly security patches, migrations, upgrades, and inevitable downtimes such as downed wires, brownouts, and cyberattacks, nor does it provide access to critical information.

3. Lack of team mentality 

A common mistake hospitals make is failing to take a team approach. 

Yet a healthcare downtime strategy is an all-hands-on-deck initiative that includes a downtime planning committee comprised of emergency response, clinical informatics, IT, operations, business continuity, clinical areas, and other departments that are a part of all the downtime procedures. 

Additionally, hospitals may consider a tiered downtime response system such as the one at Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Disaster Medicine, which is flexible and can be adjusted to each downtime event.

4. Thinking a disaster recovery plan is a downtime strategy

While hospitals need a disaster recovery plan, thinking it’s the downtime solution is a myth. 

With disaster recovery, there’s a time lag, and it could be 36 hours or more before the EHR is back online.

Some hospitals rely on frequent back-ups alone, but that doesn’t always ensure they will have access to critical patient information. 

Not to mention that if there’s a cyberattack, back-ups can duplicate malware, which can spread throughout the network and trigger down the line, creating an even bigger problem.

Having an isolated, on-site, and cloud-based server, therefore, is important.

5. Failing to update the downtime strategy 

Oftentimes, hospitals develop a downtime strategy procedure to satisfy a HIPAA-compliant mandate but never give it a second look. 

It’s important, therefore, to conduct health checks on a quarterly basis to make sure what was developed is still relevant.

What to look for in a healthcare downtime solution

For hospitals looking for a healthcare downtime solution, it’s important to identify one that has certain features, including:

• Simple to deploy and available the moment systems go down to ensure care continuity.
• Access to critical information in all areas where care is administered and the ability to deliver encrypted reports at the point of care.
• Isolated, on-premise, or cloud-based secure server that is outside of the network.
• Capability to process new patients with barcodes and capture documentation and charges during downtimes.
• Flexibility and the ability to personalize the types of data that need to be accessed.
• An air gap server that is protected from cyberattacks.
  

Our new Beacon platform enables secure access to—and availability of—critical hospital information during planned, unplanned, or cyberattack events to ensure clinical and business continuity and patient safety.

To learn more or schedule a demo, contact us today.

The post Is your hospital unwittingly making these healthcare downtime mistakes? appeared first on Interbit Data.

By 1970, fax machines were used mostly by Fortune 500 companies, cost $18,000, weighed more than 100 pounds, and took 6 minutes to send one page. 

Today, faxing may seem archaic and akin to the rotary phone, 8 track tapes, and the Apple Macintosh. 

Yet just as vinyl has never truly gone away—and is even making a comeback—HIPAA-compliant faxing is one technology that continues to play a pivotal role in how health systems send and receive critical information, operate, and care for their patients.  

According to a 2019 report, 90% of healthcare continues to rely on faxing. 

Here, learn why HIPAA-compliant faxing continues to stick, how to address its limitations, and what the future holds. 

The benefits of HIPAA-compliant faxing

One would think that in 2022, email would be the name of the game. 

After all, it’s easy, convenient, and everyone has it. Yet not all email services have end-to-end encryption, which can leave organizations open to security risks.

Therefore, faxing—a reliable, convenient, and secure way to send information between doctors, facilities, and health systems—has remained a primary method of communication. 

Of course, like any technology, faxing has its limitations.

It takes more time and isn’t as efficient as other technologies, it can limit the amount of information available at the point of care and prevent optimal care coordination, all of which can negatively impact patient safety and drive costs for organizations. 

When it comes to traditional, paper-based faxing, it also carries security and HIPAA-compliance risks, if for example, a fax number isn’t accurate or hasn’t been updated. 

Nevertheless, faxing is still a go-to communication as interoperability remains an ongoing challenge for healthcare.

Although EHRs are ideally meant to securely exchange information between providers, it’s not fool-proof. 

According to a report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), in 2018, only 46% of hospitals could send, receive, find, and integrate data into their EHRs from sources outside of their organizations. 

Paperless and digital faxing solutions are on the rise 

Although many organizations still have dedicated fax machines and use paper-based faxing, paperless faxing is becoming more widely used. 

According to a 2019 survey by IDG MarketPulse, 44% of medical communications are paper-based fax, while 56% are paperless, electronic fax. 

Since it integrates with the EMR, EHR, HCIS, and other systems and applications, digital faxing has many benefits: 

• more efficient
• saves time
• ensures providers have critical information when and where they need it
• reduces waste and costs 

Digital faxing can also be connected to any device including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. 

What is the future of HIPAA-compliant faxing?

In 2018, CMS Administrator Seema Verma stated, “If I could challenge developers on a mission, it’s to help make doctors’ offices a fax free zone by 2020.”

Although physical fax machines will be a thing of the past, it’s not likely faxing will go away entirely, so new solutions will become vital. 

Hospitals need systems that simplify hospital communications, can integrate with EHRs and HCIS, don’t require an API to extract data, and allow for information from any source to be transferred into an encrypted and HIPAA-compliant format for automated report distribution. 

Additionally, solutions that don’t disrupt existing hospital communication workflows but allow for the automated, secure, HIPAA-compliant distribution of communications are the key for efficiency, patient safety, and cost reduction. 

Our new Beacon platform is a vendor-agnostic solution that simplifies hospital communications, giving you the flexibility to manage and deliver messages from multiple sources—tailored to user preferences—to improve operational efficiency. 

Learn how hospital data distribution fax software can help your organization today.

The post The future of HIPAA-compliant faxing appeared first on Interbit Data.