Blokes and lasses, do you remember that tumultuous time in last year’s chilly November? Well, old Valley Mountain Regional Centre (VMRC) had a bit of a muddle — a right and proper mess of phishing silliness that ensnared the employees and put the sensitive health information of thousands at risk.
Now when I say ‘thousands’, I’m talking about proper numbers. 17,197 to be exact, a raft of unsuspecting people having their protected health information (or PHI as those in the know like to call it), left as flotsam in the stormy seas of this procedural gaffe.
When this breach happened, it wasn’t like the VMRC simply swept this under the carpet. Oh no! They went straight to the Health Human Services (HHS) and spilled the beans. Of course, the media weren’t left out of the loop either. And more critically, every one of those 17,197 individuals impacted was duly informed. Quite right too. Everyone given a substitute notice till proper notice could be restored — respectability maintained even amidst the chaos.
But it did make us wonder, didn’t it? Could this happen again, perhaps? Not a very pleasant thought.
So, in a bid to appease hearts aflutter, the VMRC revealed its damage limitation plans (or ‘mitigation efforts’ as they jargon it) — a revamping of their technological safeguards in the hopes of avoiding a repeat performance.
And thus, we’re left with the question that’s all too familiar to those of us involved in the world of healthcare and cybersecurity. The elephant in the room that ever drummed out its own relentless rhythm – are the individuals, the patients, those whose information was breached, still left in the dark? Are they licking wounds and wondering what’s to come or do they see the light at the end of this virtual tunnel?
It’s an interesting puzzle, and one I’ll leave you to ponder. Looking after so much sensitive information, and endeavouring to keep it safe, isn’t a walk in the park. But it’s a responsibility we can’t shirk.
In times like these, it’s critical for all of us involved in healthcare and cybersecurity to sit up and take note. Preventing such breaches is key and should be our united goal – like a cuppa at the end of a long day, we all need it. Awareness is our safeguard and knowledge our shield, after all.
So, let’s keep the conversation going and continue to strive for measures that ensure the privacy and worry-free existence of every mate whose data we handle. Isn’t that a cherishable thought?
by Parker Bytes
