New NIST Guidance Details Significance of Securing Patient Information on Mobile Devices

A report from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) details how organizations can use open source and commercially available tools to keep care recipients' information secure on mobile devices, according to MedCity News . The guide cites specific capabilities of products that an organization can incorporate within its existing infrastructure. In an ideal scenario, a health system should use open source and commercially available tools to ensure beneficiary information is safe when caregivers use mobile devices to share data amongst themselves. "We recommend that organizations implement a continuous risk management process as a starting point for adopting this or other approaches that will increase the security of EHRs," NIST says. The Cleveland Clinic's Vugar Zeynalov notes, "Leveraging mobile technology to increase quality of care and relieve pressures on providers is a cornerstone of the modern digital hospital. This guidance is a practical foundation to opening up new possibilities for caregivers while maintaining our obligation to beneficiary safety and privacy."