U.S. Healthcare Industry: Cybersecurity Regulatory and Compliance Issues

Abstract

The health care industry is one of the most vital areas of critical infrastructure in the United States. In recent years, the healthcare industry has faced a barrage of cyberattacks that have disputed vital services and exposed vast amounts of sensitive data. Federal regulations such as HIPPA and the HITECH act were designed to protect this sensitive data, but often are left open for interpretation. For example, HIPPA mandates the protection of personal health information but gives little guidance on how to do it properly. Even with regulatory mandates, the health care industry continues to struggle with complying with current regulations. Various factors such as budgetary constraints and the lack of cybersecurity professionals who understand the security needs of the health care industry affect compliance. Also within the health care industry, there are various sectors which are all governed by different sets of rules and regulations. This can create a level of confusion when trying to create a standard for the industry as a whole. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the current regulatory and compliance landscape of the U.S. health care system.