The latter half of 2016 has experienced more healthcare data breaches per month than the first half of the year, according to healthcare informatics. The Protenus Breach Barometer report found the first six months of the year saw 25.3 breaches per month, whereas the second half has experienced 39.3 breaches per month, so far.
Here are seven takeaways:
1. The first half of the year saw 152 breaches of protected health information or medical health information. So far, the latter half of 2016 has already witnessed 118 cases.
2. HSS reported 37 breaches involving 246,876 impacted patient records in September.
3. Compared to the first (63 incidents) and second (89 incidents) quarters of 2016, the third quarter (118 incidents) has seen more data breaches.
4. The Protenus report found 41 percent of September breaches were insider incidents.
5. Thirty-two percent of the breaches included hacking, involving ransomware or other malware.
6. Of the healthcare data breaches in September, 92 percent involved healthcare providers. Only two cases involved health plans.
7. The report also found it took the affected party an average of 151 days from the time of the breach to tell HHS, in September. This number is down from the 558 days it took for those impacted in August.
