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Strengthening output management for tightened security

by Randy Pelikan

Healthcare leaders are often looking to improve security and safeguard information both internally and externally.

With the vast amount of information being disseminated quickly among various channels, it’s no wonder that data breaches and cyber attacks often occur.

And while the majority of these breaches are small (under 500 records)1, the risks of these attacks are often heightened by human error and paper processes. Taking a proactive approach to improve your organization’s output management infrastructure can help protect against repercussions including reputational damage and financial loss.

Here are five simple steps you can take to help identify “weak links” in your output management infrastructure.

1. Identify gaps in your print infrastructure security. Conduct a risk assessment to identify any gaps in your output security, like unattended print trays, before they become a full-blown crisis situation.

2. Centralize & harmonize your print device fleet. With the right backend systems and software, you can improve monitoring capabilities and even trace back exactly where a document originated.

3. Improve workflows to reduce misuse and mishandling. By capturing paper in the beginning of the process and streamlining workflows associated with those documents, you’ll help mitigate the chance of human error.

How can you proactively prevent cyber attacks?

4. Take control in a device and content sharing environment. When you implement security cards and point-of-print user authentication, you can protect sensitive documents even in an open print space.

5. Monitor and audit for ongoing security and compliance. By conducting regular internal audits, you can relieve compliance pressures and manage your print infrastructure with peace of mind.

In the new world of care, taking a proactive approach to securing your output management infrastructure can help your organization thrive amidst new challenges and hacking advancements.

Randy Pelikan, Senior Manager of Design for Ricoh USA, Inc.’s Healthcare vertical, partners with workflow specialists to drive software and consulting engagements focused on maximizing the value and application of information for administrative and clinical workflows. With a background ranging from outsourcing to network convergence and enterprise software, Pelikan has helped organizations make their data more accessible, secure, and actionable for more than 22 years.

  1. 1Seals, Tara. Healthcare Data Breaches Cost $6.2 Billion Per Year. Infosecurity Magazine Home.