10 cybersecurity tips to protect your medical practice

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These essential cybersecurity tips will help you protect patient data and maintain trust in your practice..

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: A quick checklist for your practice

1. Conduct a security risk assessment

  • Map how patient data moves through your systems.
  • Identify weak points in devices, vendors, and staff workflows.
  • Document risks and create an action plan.

2. Keep systems patched and current

  • Enable automatic updates for your EHR, routers, and software.
  • Retire unsupported devices and applications.

3. Require strong passwords and multifactor authentication

  • Enforce MFA for all remote and administrative logins.
  • Use a password manager to generate unique, complex credentials.

4. Encrypt data everywhere

  • Encrypt laptops, drives, and mobile devices.
  • Use secure, encrypted email and messaging for patient communications.

5. Segment your network

  • Separate clinical systems from guest Wi-Fi and administrative networks.
  • Limit access using “least privilege” permissions.

6. Back up your data—and test it

  • Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, two media types, one offsite.
  • Test restores quarterly to ensure backups work.

7. Train staff regularly

  • Conduct phishing simulations and refresher sessions.
  • Emphasize safe email, password hygiene, and device use.

8. Monitor for suspicious activity

  • Enable system logging and alerts.
  • Review access attempts and data transfers routinely.

9. Create and rehearse an incident response plan

  • Assign roles, define communication steps, and run tabletop drills.
  • Include HIPAA breach-notification procedures.

10. Stay informed

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month — a reminder that protecting patient data isn’t just an IT responsibility, it’s a cornerstone of patient trust. Yet many small and midsize medical practices remain prime targets for cybercriminals. A single phishing email or unpatched system can expose sensitive health information, disrupt operations, and jeopardize care continuity.

As Medical Economics has reported, physician practices have become “low-hanging fruit” for attackers who know that even brief downtime can cripple an office. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) agrees, urging all small and medium-sized businesses—including health care—to adopt simple but consistent security hygiene.

Here are 10 practical cybersecurity tips, drawn from CISA’s Secure Your Business guidance.

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