Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Protecting Patients in a Digital World
Cybersecurity Starts With the Healthcare Professional
Many cybersecurity incidents begin with ordinary human actions—not sophisticated computer hacking.
Healthcare workers routinely log into electronic systems, communicate about patients, access protected health information (PHI), and use computers, tablets, and mobile devices throughout the workday. Understanding how to use these tools safely can help protect patients, coworkers, and healthcare organizations.
Pedagogy Education's Cybersecurity Training for Healthcare Professionals was designed to make these concepts practical and relevant to the healthcare professional.
Rather than focusing on highly technical computer terminology, the course connects cybersecurity principles to situations healthcare workers may encounter during everyday practice.
What Does the Course Cover?
The course addresses several important areas of digital safety and patient privacy, including:
- Appropriate and inappropriate use of workplace devices and systems
- How accidental and intentional "system leaks" can expose patient information
- Safe workstation, computer, and tablet practices
- Password and passcode security
- Protecting login credentials and digital identity
- Locking screens and logging out appropriately
- Recognizing phishing attempts and suspicious messages
- Understanding malware and what can happen after clicking a malicious link
- What to do after accidentally clicking something suspicious
- Secure versus unsecured messaging
- Applying the "minimum necessary" principle when communicating patient information
- Protecting PHI and patient confidentiality
- Privacy considerations in healthcare facilities and home health
- Social media and professional responsibility
The course uses examples and case-based scenarios to help learners connect cybersecurity concepts with situations they may actually encounter in healthcare practice.
Cybersecurity Is Also About Patient Trust
Patients provide healthcare professionals with some of their most private information. Protecting that information is part of maintaining the trust at the center of the healthcare relationship.
Something as simple as leaving a workstation unlocked, sharing a password, sending patient information through an unsecured method, or discussing a patient on social media can have consequences far beyond the computer screen.
Cybersecurity education helps healthcare professionals understand that small digital habits can have a big impact on patient privacy.
One Hour of CNE With Practical Value
The Cybersecurity Training for Healthcare Professionals course provides 1 contact hour and is currently offered for $12 through Pedagogy Education.
It is an excellent continuing education option for healthcare professionals who want education that is immediately applicable to their daily responsibilities.
And because it is online, learners can complete the education without traveling to a classroom or rearranging an entire workday around a scheduled seminar.
The Advantages of Online Continuing Nursing Education
Healthcare professionals already balance demanding schedules, changing shifts, family responsibilities, and continuing education requirements. Online CNE gives nurses greater control over when and where that learning occurs.
With online continuing education, nurses can:
- Learn on their own schedule
- Complete education from home or another convenient location
- Avoid travel and classroom scheduling
- Select courses relevant to their individual practice
- Build knowledge in emerging areas of healthcare
- Complete professional education around work and personal commitments
Most importantly, continuing education doesn't have to be something completed simply to satisfy a license renewal requirement.
The right CNE can make you better prepared for the situations you encounter every day.
Explore Continuing Nursing Education From Pedagogy Education
Pedagogy Education offers online continuing education covering a wide range of topics important to today's healthcare professionals—from clinical practice and patient safety to infection prevention, professional issues, and emerging concerns such as cybersecurity.
If you use a computer, tablet, mobile device, electronic health record, email, or electronic messaging system as part of patient care, cybersecurity matters to your practice.
Protect the patient. Protect their information. And make cybersecurity awareness part of your professional practice.
Learn more about Cybersecurity Training for Healthcare Professionals
