The Role of Cloud-Based Isolated Recovery Environments in Healthcare Cybersecurity

Healthcare organizations are a prime target for cyberattacks due to the high quantity of sensitive data they manage. The healthcare industry faces the most expensive data breach recoveries worldwide, with average recovery costs of $9.77 million. The extensive downtime caused by some cyberattacks can also severely disrupt patient care, making it imperative for healthcare providers to adopt robust strategies to mitigate these risks. 

One avenue for healthcare organizations to combat cyber risk is through an isolated recovery environment (IRE) for electronic health record (EHR) systems. This approach not only provides insurance against potential cyber threats but also reduces disruption to patient care.

The Power of Cloud-Based Isolated Recovery Environments

A cloud-based IRE is a separate network located on the cloud that allows businesses to back up and restore critical data and systems in the event of a cyberattack or other system disruption. Basing your IRE in the cloud offers a simple yet powerful way to isolate your on-premises data center while saving on costs by using on-demand resources only when the system is in use or undergoing maintenance. This flexibility allows for efficient resource management and reduces unnecessary expenditures.

Leveraging Infrastructure-as-a-Service

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), a type of cloud computing service that offers IT resources on demand, plays a crucial role in enhancing healthcare system resilience. By leveraging IaaS, organizations can make the most of their existing staff and security operations centers (SOC) monitoring teams, which can shorten delays in enacting security measures should the main environment become compromised. IaaS also allows healthcare providers to maintain autonomy over their systems and data, enabling organizations to conduct planned maintenance downtimes and testing according to their own timelines, while also allowing them to use their existing OpenID Connect (OIDC) supportive two-factor authentication.

Developing an EHR Resilience Strategy

Building EHR resilience is about more than just creating a cloud-based IRE. BDO recommends the following process for developing a robust EHR resilience strategy:

1. Discovery and Roadmap Development: Start by understanding your needs and creating a clear plan to address them through the creation of the cloud-based IRE and IaaS.
2. Environment Development: Next, build the necessary systems and infrastructure to support the separate environment. 
3. Policy and Procedure Setup: Once you’ve developed your environment, you’ll need to establish guidelines and controls for using the environment. You’ll also need to develop a change management strategy to encourage compliance from all relevant staff. 
4. Cloud Implementation: Next, deploy the environment on the cloud and test your controls.
5. Sustainability Plan: Once the cloud-based IRE is active, begin planning for long-term success. Some considerations will include allocating resources to maintaining the environment, updating your incident response plan, and potentially hiring additional security professionals to support the cloud-based IRE.

Looking Ahead

In an era where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, healthcare organizations must prioritize the resilience of their EHR systems. A cloud-based IRE offers a viable option to safeguard against ransomware attacks and maintain continuity of patient care. By leveraging IaaS to support the IRE, healthcare providers can strengthen their cybersecurity while improving the efficacy of resource allocation.