5 Best Practices for Better Telepharmacy Cybersecurity

Telepharmacy — the delivery of pharmaceutical services over telecommunication technology — is booming. As more pharmaceutical practices embrace it, care becomes increasingly accessible and convenient for a wider range of patients. At the same time, its growth has heightened cybersecurity concerns within the industry.

Using digital platforms for pharmaceutical care means sensitive patient data may now be open to hacking. Cybercrime against the medical sector has grown in recent years, too, as criminals realize they can earn much by targeting such valuable information. 

Breaches are increasingly common and costly, so pharma companies must consider how to defend against these incidents. Here are five best practices to follow in pursuit of that goal.

1. Use Strict Access Controls

One of the most important steps is to restrict access permissions. Limited access is a key tenet of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), but digitization makes it easier for various parties to see sensitive information. It takes specific measures to address this concern.

First, telepharmacy platforms should employ the principle of least privilege. This means that any user, device and program can only access what it needs to perform its job. In a pharma context, it should also entail HIPAA-compliant restrictions.

Secondly, these solutions must use reliable authentication measures to ensure users are who they say they are. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is crucial, making accounts 99% less likely to be hacked by adding another verification step. SMS-based or biometric MFA are preferable to email-based alternatives, as email is also susceptible to hacking. 

2. Keep Employees and Users Informed

Telepharmacy services must also address risks from human error. Nearly three-quarters of security professionals say negligent employees are their biggest vulnerability. Similarly, users may accidentally expose their details if they’re unaware of relevant threats and best practices.

Pharma businesses should train all employees to use strong passwords and MFA. Teaching workers to spot phishing attempts — which often have red flags like unusual urgency and strange email addresses — is likewise crucial. Medical professionals should also know never to share patient information outside HIPAA-compliant, secure communications channels.

Telepharmacy platforms should offer similar advice to patient-side users. Requiring MFA and explaining the importance of strong passwords are good steps. Telling patients what doctor conversations will look like can also help them spot phishing attempts.

3. Encrypt All Data and Communications

Encryption is another essential measure in telepharmacy cybersecurity. While HIPAA does not explicitly mandate encryption, enacting it is one of the most reliable ways to keep sensitive data private. Consequently, telepharmacy solutions should encrypt patient information at rest and in transit, using the highest cryptography standard available.

Messaging and other communication channels should also be encrypted. Many organizations miss the mark here, as just 38% of health care companies say their telehealth system provides secure, compliant communication options. Practices should not implement telepharmacy software that does not offer this kind of encryption.

4. Employ Automated Monitoring and Containment

Even with defenses like MFA and encryption, pharma providers won’t be able to stop all attacks. As a result, they also need ways to detect and respond to intrusion as quickly as possible to minimize the damage.

Automation is the best way forward. Artificial intelligence (AI) can monitor telepharmacy networks and data around the clock, responding immediately to suspicious activity. Some AI solutions also contain potential breaches to stop the damage before security personnel can investigate the issue.

The results of such technology speak for themselves. Data breaches at entities heavily using security automation cost $3.84 million on average, compared to $5.72 million at those not using any automation.

5. Reassess Security Posture Regularly

Finally, telepharmacy adopters must realize that cybersecurity is a never-ending process. New threats arise regularly, and best practices evolve alongside them to keep up. Given such continuous change, ongoing review and adjustment is essential.

A proposed HIPAA update would mandate annual penetration testing, which looks for weak points in a company’s defenses. Even if this rule does not go into effect, regular penetration testing is a good idea. Similarly, teams should meet to discuss recent changes and review any recent security issues at least once a year to determine if any adjustments are necessary.

Telepharmacy Cybersecurity Is Essential

The growth of telepharmacy is largely positive for the pharmaceutical industry and its patients. However, pharma businesses must pay attention to this technology’s unique security concerns to ensure it results in more good than harm.

These five best practices offer a solid foundation for telepharmacy cybersecurity. Implementing such strategies today will help balance convenience and care with safety and privacy.