WHAT
Commentary :"Threats to Information Security -- Public Health Implications", New England Journal of Medicine
WHO
William J. Gordon, MD
Clinical Informatics Fellow, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Hospitalist, Massachusetts General Hospital
Adam Landman, MD
Chief Information Officer, Brigham and Women's Hospital
WHEN
Embargoed for release until July 12, 2017 at 5 p.m. EDT
WHY
Gordon and Landman have authored a Perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine that addresses the growing threat of attacks on information systems and the potential implications on public health.
"Nearly 90% of health care organizations ... suffered a data breach in the past 2 years; meanwhile, 64% of organizations reported a successful attack targeting medical files in 2016 -- a 9% increase in just 1 year," the authors write.
"If we acknowledge the public health implications of information security, we can improve dialogue, implement necessary protections, and minimize the impact on patient care," they conclude.
###
New England Journal of Medicine