The advancement of health information technology has allowed for the implementation of electronic health records (EHR) in hospitals. While this has the potential to standardise patient data collection, the secure transfer and storage of such sensitive information remains a concern. Despite these challenges, GlobalData forecasts rapid market growth within this industry.

Listed below are the top trends impacting the EHR industry, as identified by GlobalData.

Blockchain

Data security is considered the largest barrier for future growth of the global EHR market. Institutions and patients are reluctant because of data security issues. With growing interest in blockchain, medical centers are considering the use of this technology as a way to better secure patient-related data.

Cloud

Large institutions are building private and hybrid clouds, while small-to-medium centres are spending on public cloud services. Both activities could lead to a higher risk of cyber-attack, and could also increase the demand for cloud security and web application security services. The leading cybersecurity companies that specialise in this field are Akamai, Barracuda Networks, Citrix Systems, F5 Networks, , and WhiteHat Security.

Prevention, detection, and response

There has been a shift from a prevention-based approach to cyber-attacks toward active detection and timely responses. The prevention approach is futile unless it is combined with detection and rapid response approaches. Many security executives are investing in technologies such as deception, endpoint detection and response, software-defined segmentation, and behaviour analytics.

Security-as-a-service

Cybersecurity is also shifting from the purchase of one-off software products to security-as-a-service. This is because security products are designed for a specific purpose, while the threat environment is constantly changing. Security-as-a-service replaces the cost of purchasing on-premises equipment with a monthly subscription. It also enables corporations to ensure their IT security is constantly up-to-date without having to manually replace equipment or download the latest security patches. Many security-managed service providers offer security services on the cloud, including Barracuda Networks, Fortinet, and CliQr.

Concerns about data security

Concern about data security is currently the largest barrier to healthcare organisations adopting EHRs. It is estimated that medical institutions have become one of the top targets for cyber criminals. While advances in technology are being initiated, healthcare institutions do not always understand which technology to use.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

View profiles in store

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData

Submit

UK USA Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d"Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati North Korea South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Réunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates US Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam British Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Kosovo

Industry * Academia & Education Aerospace, Defense & Security Agriculture Asset Management Automotive Banking & Payments Chemicals Construction Consumer Foodservice Government, trade bodies and NGOs Health & Fitness Hospitals & Healthcare HR, Staffing & Recruitment Insurance Investment Banking Legal Services Management Consulting Marketing & Advertising Media & Publishing Medical Devices Mining Oil & Gas Packaging Pharmaceuticals Power & Utilities Private Equity Real Estate Retail Sport Technology Telecom Transportation & Logistics Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Venture Capital

Tick here to opt out of curated industry news, reports, and event updates from Pharmaceutical Technology.

Submit and download

Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Concerns about data privacy

Concern about data privacy is the main factor deterring patients from using EHRs. While the fear of cyber-attacks is apparent, patients are concerned that EHR providers will misuse their medical data. Providers have been found to misuse patient data for profit. Recently, there have been lawsuits against a few of these companies. Furthermore, there is a lack of US legislation to limit the collection of patient data that is not necessarily relevant for medical diagnosis.

CISO

Many institutions have recently appointed their first CISO. A CISO’s role is to protect assets from cyber-attacks. The average stay of a CISO is under 1.5 years.

Multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication is widely valued in healthcare settings. Passwords are the most common authentication tools in healthcare, yet they are easy to hack. While multi-factor authentication is not new, its adoption in healthcare is increasing slowly. Securing patient databases and EHRs is crucial for healthcare. By working with security vendors, healthcare organisations can facilitate the implementation of two-factor authentication at low costs.

US regulations

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides guidelines to ensure compliance related to the security and proper management of confidential information. Professionals in the healthcare and cyber security industries must constantly be up-to-date with technological updates and threats that could compromise patient information. Additionally, companies that manufacture medical devices that store or transmit patient information must be HIPAA compliant.

European regulations

In the EU, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been put in place to protect personal data across many industries and sectors. It remains one of the most comprehensive sets of regulations. Some of the processes that fall under the GDPR include the creation and destruction of patient information.

Lack of government-regulated EHR Systems

In various countries, there is a lack of government-regulated EHR systems. One example of this is Germany. While this might create a void in EHR oversight and management, it presents a lucrative opportunity for private EHR providers to bring their systems to market and generate substantial revenue.

Data exchange

Recently, the European commission has adopted an exchange format for EHRs that will allow patients to access and exchange their medical records from within any country that is part of the EU. The 22 EU member states will be able to exchange electronic medical records by 2021. Companies that provide EHR services will need to ensure that their systems are compatible with each other throughout the EU.

This is an edited extract from the Protection of Electronic Health Records – Thematic Research report produced by GlobalData Thematic Research.