Dynamics CRM and Power BI Enhances Clinical Efficiency

Case StudyDynamics CRM and Power BI Integration Reduces TCO by 70% for Medical Device Company

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Customer: A public medical device company Profile: The client is a market leader in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for the treatment of major depressive disorder and other mental health conditions.
Industry: Medical Equipment Manufacturing
Services: Dynamics CRM and Power BI

The medical device company’s marketing team lacked visibility into operations, impacting lead-to-conversion rates. Limited expertise, undefined business processes, and manual data consolidation efforts made it difficult to manage customer interactions.

Learn how Synoptek’s suite of Dynamics CRM implementation and Power BI integration services helped:

  • Enhance clinical efficiency and patient care
  • Minimize manual effort and maximize decision-making accuracy
  • Reduce TCO by 70%

Download the Full Case Study

What strategies can IT leaders use to mitigate the impact of VMware's price surge

BlogWhat Strategies Can IT Leaders Use to Mitigate the Impact of VMware’s Price Surge?

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Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware for $61 billion marks a pivotal moment in the technology industry, particularly affecting organizations that rely on VMware’s virtualization and cloud solutions. This strategic move aims to enhance Broadcom’s foothold in enterprise software, leveraging VMware’s expertise in virtualization and cloud computing.

What strategies can IT leaders use to mitigate the impact of VMware's price surge

With a shift to a subscription-based model and significant price hikes, organizations are forced to reconsider their IT budgets, potentially accelerating migration to alternative platforms or prompting negotiations for more cost-effective solutions.

As the landscape shifts, adapting to these financial pressures is key for organizations striving to maintain seamless technology operations.

The Impact of Broadcom-VMware acquisition on Your IT Strategy

The Broadcom acquisition of VMware has significantly impacted IT strategies for organizations in terms of pricing and licensing changes and product and service continuity challenges, among others. Here are the key impact areas:

Increased Licensing Costs

The shift to a core-based licensing model and the significant increase in annual support renewal costs have substantially raised the financial burden on organizations. For example, the yearly support renewal cost has jumped from $14,000 to $35,000, marking a 300% increase.

The new subscription model is 63% more expensive than the previous perpetual license model over a 7-year lifecycle. IT leaders must reevaluate their budgets and reallocate funds from other initiatives to cover the increased VMware costs.

Reduced Flexibility

The core-based licensing model, which requires a minimum of 16 cores per socket, reduces flexibility for organizations with varying hardware configurations. For example, a data center with 12 CPU sockets must license 192 cores, even if the actual usage is lower. This inflexibility limits the ability to optimize costs based on actual usage and may lead to over-provisioning of licenses.

Vendor Lock-in Concerns

The exclusive availability of VMware Cloud on AWS through Broadcom raises concerns about vendor lock-in and reduced customer choice. IT leaders may feel compelled to stick with VMware solutions due to the significant investments already made, even if alternative solutions become more attractive.

Uncertainty and Risk

CIOs and CTOs are concerned about the potential impact on their existing infrastructure and cloud strategies, especially given Broadcom’s history of post-acquisition changes that have led to customer dissatisfaction.

How can Managed Service Providers Help with VMware Price Increase?

Managed service providers (MSPs) can play a crucial role in helping businesses navigate the steep price increases associated with VMware’s new subscription model following Broadcom’s acquisition. Here are several ways MSPs can assist:

4 Ways Managed Services Providers Mitigate the Price Surge Impact

Cost Analysis and Optimization

  • Optimize Licensing: MSPs can thoroughly analyze your current VMware usage to determine if all features are necessary. They can help align workloads with the appropriate VMware product bundles, potentially reducing costs by selecting only the required features rather than paying for comprehensive bundles that include unnecessary services.
  • Explore Alternatives: MSPs can introduce businesses to open-source virtualization solutions or alternate cloud service providers. By leveraging their expertise, organizations can help transition to more cost-effective platforms, mitigating the financial impact of VMware’s price hikes.

Implementation and Migration Support

  • Migration Planning: Many businesses are considering moving away from VMware due to the increased costs. MSPs can assist in smoothly planning and executing this transition. They can provide a structured approach to migrating workloads to alternative platforms, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations.
  • Infrastructure Management: MSPs can offer managed services that reduce the overall complexity of managing virtual environments. This includes providing hypervisor-agnostic disaster recovery and backup solutions, which can help businesses maintain flexibility and control over their infrastructure while potentially lowering costs.

Negotiation Strategies

  • Budgeting Assistance: With the new pricing structure, many organizations face unbudgeted increases in operational expenses. MSPs can help businesses reevaluate their IT budgets and provide insights into how to absorb these costs or adjust spending in other areas.
  • Negotiation Support: MSPs often have established relationships with vendors and can negotiate on behalf of their clients to secure better pricing or terms. This can be particularly beneficial for smaller businesses that may not have the leverage to negotiate effectively on their own.

Ongoing Support and Training

  • Continuous Monitoring: MSPs can provide ongoing monitoring and management of virtual environments, ensuring that businesses are utilizing their resources effectively while identifying potential areas for cost savings.
  • Training and Education: MSPs can offer IT staff training on the new VMware licensing model and best practices for managing virtual environments under the new structure. This knowledge can empower teams to make informed decisions about their virtualization

Plan for a Smooth Migration from VMWare to Cloud

Major cloud providers like AWS, Amazon, and Google are offering robust VM hosting services. These services also benefit from scalability, automated backups, and high availability. With the ease of integration with existing systems and the availability of pay-as-you-go models, companies looking to move away from VMware are choosing cloud services tailored to unique needs and environments.

This is how organizations can effectively transition:

1. Conduct a Thorough Audit of Your VMware Portfolio

  • Review all purchased and in-use licenses to understand your current VMware environment.
  • Identify underutilized licenses and assess if your setup aligns with your organization’s needs.

2. Map Out the Impact of Changes on Your Organization

  • Evaluate how the new pricing structure affects your budget and operational capabilities.
  • Involve relevant stakeholders, including finance and IT teams, to comprehensively understand the consequences.

3. Begin Planning for a Timed Migration Workflow

  • Develop a structured migration plan that outlines key milestones and timelines to avoid rushed transitions.
  • Ensure the migration process is smooth and organized, minimizing disruptions to business operations.

By proactively addressing these challenges and implementing strategic mitigation measures, IT leaders can navigate the impact of the Broadcom-VMware acquisition and ensure the continued success of their IT strategies.

Diffuse VMware Volatility with Right Partner

If you want to avoid the anxiety caused by unexpected price hikes and changes in product offerings, you must partner with a competent managed service provider. A competent partner can provide tailored solutions such as public and private cloud hosting, managed on-premises private cloud services, and comprehensive Azure and AWS deployment management.

VMWare Pricing

Maximizing Dynamics 365 Business Central Returns with Application Managed Services

BlogMaximizing Dynamics 365 Business Central Returns with Application Managed Services

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As the demand for ERP systems continues to grow, platforms like Dynamics 365 Business Central experience widespread adoption. Dynamics 365 Business Central now supports over 40,000+ small and mid-sized businesses on its SaaS platform. Users increase by 200% annually, highlighting the solution’s growing popularity. And while 80% of companies successfully implement the ERP, less than 50% report achieving their expected Business Central ROI. This gap is often due to inadequate lifecycle support and maintenance of the platform, necessitating the need for around-the-clock Application Managed Services.

Maximizing Dynamics 365 Business Central Returns with Application Managed Services

Understanding Common Business Central Challenges Post-implementation

SMBs often turn to Dynamics 365 Business Central to transform business operations, improve financial performance, boost sales and service, and optimize supply chain management. However, despite a successful deployment, they face many challenges in the day-to-day monitoring and management of this ERP:

Common Business Central Challenges Post-implementation

1. Timely User Support

As users transition from a legacy tool to a modern and intelligent solution, they face several issues navigating the system, finding the information they need, and making quick decisions. Addressing and resolving these issues for in-house teams with limited expertise doesn’t come easy for these teams. These teams also face hurdles in creating standard operating procedures, establishing best practices, and onboarding and training users.

2. Functionality Pain Points

Another challenge SMBs face post Dynamics 365 Business Central deployment is around functionality. As many implement an out-of-the-box system with little or no customization, the challenge of configuration not optimized to support business processes often emerges. Organizations also realize that they are not leveraging intelligent workflows and automated processes to the fullest and recognize the need for improvements in user experience.

3. Continuous Improvement

With Microsoft constantly optimizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central to meet evolving needs, SMBs find it challenging to stay on top of new functionality and updates. Lack of familiarity with the Microsoft ecosystem and upcoming initiatives makes aligning future business growth goals with a technology maturity strategy difficult.

4. System Management/ Maintenance

Businesses often struggle to maintain in-house expertise to manage system updates, security patches, or administrative functions. They also struggle to conduct necessary testing before system updates and lack the time and skillset to improve and optimize Business Central’s performance over time.

Transforming Costs to Value – Key Components

The challenges in running and optimizing any Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central deployment often diminish the ROI. Organizations looking to transform costs into value must rethink their support model. Here are the four key components that hold the key to maximizing Business Central returns:

Transforming Costs to Value – Key Components

1. Proactive Support

For any Business Central deployment to function correctly, proactive support is vital. Anticipating potential performance, security, or user experience issues is critical to maintaining user satisfaction. Support teams must also be capable of finding the root cause of recurring issues for permanent resolution and maximizing application uptime and availability.

2. Continuous Improvement

Organizations using Dynamics 365 Business Central must also have a mechanism to stay updated with new features and opportunities and how they can be leveraged to keep up with technology innovations. Evolving business processes with new additions in the Dynamics ecosystem are also essential for staying relevant.

3. Strategic Alignment

With business needs and market trends constantly evolving, organizations must align current and future business goals with the Business Central roadmap. From adding new functionality to removing those that don’t make sense, organizations must put in effort to ensure strategic alignment of business and technology objectives.

4. Cost Efficiency

Running and optimizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central requires organizations to uncover ways to maximize cost efficiency. One way to do this is by leveraging economies of scale via shared resources/global delivery model. They can also consolidate their technology ecosystem and bring in partners who can run the system’s day-to-day operations.

The Role of Business Central Application Managed Services

Keeping up with the pace of emerging technologies while aligning technology tools with evolving business needs is a Herculean task. With businesses focused on their core priorities, devoting time and resources to day-to-day Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central management is complex. Many companies also face issues in hiring, training, and retaining Business Central talent while struggling to scale the system to meet current and future integration and collaboration needs.

Businesses looking to make technology investments with business goals in mind and keep up with the pace of advancement must embrace Application Managed Services (AMS). A qualified AMS provider can enable businesses to:

  • Focus time and energy on core competencies while qualified experts handle daily Business Central management and administration.
  • Enjoy continuous improvement via updates/upgrades and ensure the Business Central instance runs on the latest version.
  • Maximize employee productivity and efficiency by having all user issues identified and resolved in time.
  • Drive scalability by accessing features and capabilities on-demand and meeting the growing needs of the business.

Explore Synoptek’s Business Central Application Managed Services

As organizations continue to face issues with managing and maintaining their Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central deployment, Synoptek’s Business Central Application Managed Services aims to improve customer results by participating on an outcomes basis in the initial transformation roadmap, planning, setup, and ongoing system operation. By providing access to skilled and certified Business Central talent, we help boost overall business results for our clients, allowing them to meet their ROI objectives while building lifetime value-added relationships with them.

Engage with our Business Central experts to get support for commonly used technology platforms through a single window. Watch our on-demand webinar to learn more.

Application Managed Services: Maximize your Dynamics 365 Business Central Returns

On-demand WebinarApplication Managed Services: Maximize your Dynamics 365 Business Central Returns

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Are you spending too much time and money managing or optimizing your Dynamics 365 Business Central instance? Are you getting enough value for your money from your current application support provider? Are you looking to maximize your investment in Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Many small- to mid-sized enterprises like yours adopt comprehensive enterprise solutions like Dynamics 365 Business Central to effectively manage financials, sales, service, and operations. However, they face issues with the solution’s day-to-day management and maintenance. Maximizing ROI requires effective and continuous management of Dynamics 365 Business Central throughout its lifecycle—from planning and implementation to ongoing operations.

Stream this insightful webinar to uncover insights on how a suite of Dynamics 365 Business Central Managed Services across Integration, Cloud License, Infrastructure Support, and ongoing Application Management can pave the way for optimal value and results.

Whether you are struggling with poor implementation from a previous partner, need expert assistance in onboarding new users and bringing them up to speed with best practices, or want to more holistically leverage the extensive capabilities of Dynamics 365 Business Central, this webinar will help you:

  • Deep dive into the common challenges organizations face in running and optimizing Business Central ERP
  • Understand the key components of value creation and how you can transition your Business Central implementation from cost to value
  • Assess the impact of Managed Services via real-world use cases
  • Explore the scope and benefits of Application Managed Services for Business Central

Watch today to drive the best results from your Dynamics 365 Business Central system implementation, optimize its use, and ensure seamless and sustained operations.

Explore our exclusive offers to get the most out of Application Managed Services

  • If you have never experienced Managed Services and want to know how it can help you save money, sign up for a complimentary Business Central Value Assessment (worth $2K).
  • If you are interested in Synoptek’s Managed Services, sign up to enjoy
    • Zero onboarding fees (Get a waiver of $20k)
    • Up to 5 months of free support (Depending on the length of the contract)
How can Microsoft Intune help in staying HIPAA compliant

BlogStay Compliant with HIPAA using Microsoft Intune

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Failure of healthcare organizations to comply with HIPAA compliance can lead to hefty fines and legal penalties, making compliance a critical challenge. In 2018, the healthcare sector witnessed a staggering spike in HIPAA fines, totaling nearly $28 million, largely driven by a significant $16 million settlement from Anthem.

This settlement stemmed from Anthem’s failure to implement adequate technical controls to prevent unauthorized access to electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), affecting approximately 78.8 million individuals. Such incidents highlight the critical vulnerabilities that healthcare organizations face in safeguarding sensitive patient data.

Plus, the complexity of the healthcare IT environment rises because of the use of different, interconnected, and outdated systems, devices, and applications. To maintain compliance with regulations like HIPAA, organizations are adopting robust security measures to protect ePHI and mitigate the risks associated with data breaches.

This is where Microsoft Intune comes into play. Intune offers comprehensive mobile device management and application protection solutions that empower healthcare providers to enforce security policies, manage devices, and safeguard sensitive information effectively.

Total HIPPA Settlements and Civil Monetary Penalties

Source: HIPAA Journal

Data Protection Challenges Faced by Healthcare Organizations in Adhering to HIPAA Compliance

Managing this complexity while controlling costs can significantly challenge healthcare IT teams. This makes securing the entire network a daunting task. The typical healthcare data protection challenges are:

Difficulty in Enforcing Security Policies and Keeping Devices Up to Date

Healthcare organizations often have a large and diverse assortment of devices, from desktops and laptops to mobile phones and tablets. Enforcing consistent security policies and updating all these devices with the latest security patches can be an immense challenge. Outdated or unpatched devices create vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit.

Increased Risk of Data Breaches and Leakage

The sensitive nature of healthcare data, including electronic health records (EHRs) and personally identifiable information (PII), makes healthcare organizations prime targets for cyberattacks. A successful breach can expose confidential patient data, resulting in severe consequences such as identity theft, financial fraud, and reputational damage.

Difficulty in Managing a Distributed Workforce and Remote Access

The shift towards remote work and telehealth services in the healthcare industry has made ensuring secure access to healthcare systems and data for a distributed workforce while maintaining compliance a significant challenge.

Inefficient Manual Processes for Device Management

Many healthcare organizations still rely on manual, time-consuming processes for tasks like device provisioning, software deployment, and security updates. These inefficient processes can lead to delays, inconsistencies, and increased risk of human error.

How Microsoft Intune Simplifies Maintaining Compliance with HIPAA Regulations

Microsoft Intune is a comprehensive cloud-based platform designed for unified endpoint management. It facilitates the administration of user access to corporate resources while streamlining the management of applications and devices across a variety of endpoints, including mobile phones, desktops, and virtual environments.

There are several ways through which Microsoft Intune can simplify compliance with HIPAA regulations for healthcare organizations:

Business Associate Agreement (BAA)

Microsoft offers a BAA for Intune, which is essential for healthcare organizations that handle electronically protected health information (ePHI). This agreement outlines the responsibilities of both parties in protecting ePHI, thus supporting compliance efforts.

Security Features

Intune provides robust security features that align with HIPAA’s requirements, such as access controls, audit controls, and encryption. These features help ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data and that any access is logged and monitored.

Device Management

Intune allows healthcare organizations to manage and secure devices used to access ePHI. This includes enforcing security policies, ensuring devices are up to date with the latest security patches, and remotely wiping devices that are lost or stolen, which mitigates the risk of data breaches.

Compliance Monitoring

Intune includes compliance monitoring tools that help organizations assess compliance with HIPAA regulations. Providing a clear overview of compliance metrics helps maintain compliance and prepare for audits.

Integration with Other Microsoft Services

Intune integrates seamlessly with other HIPAA-compliant Microsoft services, such as Azure and Microsoft 365. This integration helps create a comprehensive compliance framework covering various aspects of data protection and security.

How Does Intune’s Data Protection Capabilities Enhance HIPAA Compliance

Microsoft Intune enhances HIPAA compliance through its robust application management capabilities in several keyways:

Mobile Application Management (MAM)

Intune allows healthcare organizations to manage and secure applications to access electronic protected health information (ePHI). By applying policies that govern how applications interact with sensitive data, organizations can prevent unauthorized access and ensure that only compliant applications are used within the healthcare environment.

Application Access Controls

With Intune, organizations can enforce strict access controls on applications, ensuring that only authorized users can access specific applications that handle ePHI. This minimizes the risk of data breaches and helps maintain compliance with HIPAA regulations by restricting access to sensitive information.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Intune’s application management features include DLP policies that prevent sensitive data from being shared outside authorized applications. This feature is crucial for HIPAA compliance and helps protect patient information from accidental leaks or intentional misuse.

Integration with Conditional Access

Intune integrates with Microsoft Entra Conditional Access, allowing organizations to enforce policies based on the compliance status of devices and applications. Only devices and applications that meet specific security requirements can access ePHI, further enhancing data protection and compliance efforts.

Seamless Updates and Patching

Intune facilitates the management of application updates and security patches, ensuring that all applications used within the organization are updated with the latest security features. This proactive approach helps mitigate vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit, thus supporting HIPAA compliance by maintaining a secure application environment.

Compliance Reporting and Monitoring

Intune provides comprehensive reporting tools that allow healthcare organizations to monitor application compliance status. This visibility is essential for audits and compliance checks, as it helps organizations demonstrate their adherence to HIPAA regulations and identify areas for improvement.

Key Advantages of Microsoft Intune Over Other HIPAA Compliance Solutions

The reasons why healthcare organizations choose Microsoft Intune in the quest for HIPAA compliance:

Key Advantages of Microsoft Intune Over Other HIPAA Compliance Solutions

Handling Healthcare Data with (Extreme) Care with Synoptek’s Managed Intune Services

Leveraging two decades of expertise in managed services, Synoptek’s Managed Intune services are designed to protect healthcare data by implementing comprehensive security measures tailored to the sector’s unique needs. These measures include:

  • Robust enforcement of security policies to ensure only compliant devices access sensitive patient information, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches
  • Integration of data loss prevention strategies to further safeguard against accidental data leaks
  • Mobile threat defense solutions that actively monitor and respond to potential security threats in real-time

Additionally, Synoptek enables automated patching to ensure that devices remain up to date with the latest security updates, mitigating vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit.

Finally, the capability for remote device management allows IT administrators to maintain control over devices, ensuring sensitive data is protected even in the event of a detected breach. Together, these features enhance data security and streamline HIPAA compliance, making Synoptek’s Managed Intune Services an essential solution for healthcare organizations.

White PaperTop Azure Cloud Cost Optimization Tips

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The pressure on organizations to digitally transform themselves is at an all-time high. Although implementing the latest enterprise systems and modernizing proprietary legacy systems are part of the game, adopting cloud can accelerate the transformation process like no other technology can. Cloud, with its array of capabilities across availability, flexibility, resiliency, and scalability can help bring organizations up-to-speed with the evolving tech landscape.

When it comes to cloud, Azure is a much sought-after cloud computing service that offers a range of secure, future-ready, hybrid and multi-cloud solutions and opens doors to limitless data and analytics capabilities including unmatched time to insight, scale, and price performance. But if you want to get the best from your Azure investments, you need to constantly monitor usage and curb unnecessary costs, so you can avoid unmanageable and uncontrollable cloud bills.

In this white paper, we will highlight:

  • The unprecedented growth of Azure cloud
  • Why cloud overspend is so widespread
  • The need for cloud cost management
  • Top Azure cloud cost management tips
Healthcare Cybersecurity: Quick Tips for Threat Mitigation

BlogHealthcare Cybersecurity: Increasing Threats Require Increased Capabilities

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124 million Healthcare Records Breached in 365 Days in 2023! This February, just one ransomware attack on a company called Change Healthcare compromised about 85 million patient records, and recovery is still in progress. Due to this single attack, patients continue to face delays in testing and critical medical procedures as healthcare operations are disrupted.

The HIPAA Journal reported that healthcare data breaches alone accounted for 93.5% of all breached records in the last year.

Healthcare data breaches averaged $10.93 million in costs, significantly higher than the second-in-line financial industry’s average of $5.9 million. The severity of these breaches underscores the need for robust healthcare cybersecurity measures.

individuals affected by healthcare security breaches

Source: The HIPAA Journal

Current Landscape of Healthcare Cybersecurity

The healthcare industry faces significant challenges in addressing sophisticated cyberattacks, often due to exploiting previously known vulnerabilities. Many healthcare organizations struggle to implement basic security measures and adhere to cybersecurity best practices due to budget constraints, talent shortages, and poor knowledge about effective resilience strategies.

Here are the key impacts and challenges that highlight the urgency of this issue:

  • Patient Care Disruption: Ransomware attacks can cause procedural delays, leading to poor outcomes and patient mortality.
  • Data Exposure: Cyberattacks can expose sensitive patient health records and payment card data, putting patients at risk of identity theft and financial fraud.
  • Operational Disruption: Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are also a growing threat, potentially bringing healthcare systems down and impacting critical care and patient treatment.

Key Threats in Healthcare Cybersecurity

The healthcare industry faces various cybersecurity threats that can compromise patient care, data security, and organizational operations. Healthcare organizations operate with thin margins, making investing in cybersecurity measures and recovering from financial impacts complex. Also, healthcare has an apparent shortage of cybersecurity skills, making resolving vulnerabilities efficiently and defending critical systems challenging.

Most organizations also lack a well-documented cybersecurity policy, which can easily lead to delayed or fragmented cyber-attack responses.

Key Threats in Healthcare Cybersecurity

Here are some of the critical threats or cyber-security challenges that healthcare organizations must address:

  • Ransomware Attacks: Ransomware remains the biggest cybersecurity threat in the healthcare industry. According to research, 64% of healthcare IT professionals are concerned about their vulnerability to ransomware attacks, with 77% experiencing between 1 and 5 ransomware attacks over the past two years. The disruption caused by ransomware attacks can lead to downtime, impact patient care, and cause financial losses.
  • Data Breaches: Healthcare organizations are prime targets for data breaches, with an average of 373,788 records breached every day. Cybercriminals seek to steal sensitive patient information, such as social security numbers, credit card details, and medical records, which can be sold on the dark web.
  • Malware Infecting Systems: Malware can infiltrate healthcare systems through various vectors, such as phishing emails, compromised websites, or infected medical devices. Once inside the network, malware can steal data, disrupt operations, and provide a foothold for further attacks.
  • HIPAA Violations and Compromise of Patient Privacy: Noncompliance with HIPAA regulations can lead to hefty fines and reputational damage. Cybersecurity gaps can expose protected health information (PHI) to unauthorized access, risking patient privacy.
  • Insider Threats: Malicious or negligent insiders, such as disgruntled employees or contractors, can compromise healthcare data and systems. Insider threats are the leading cause of data loss and exfiltration.
  • Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report 2024 suggests that insiders cause 70% of healthcare data breaches. Mitigating insider threats requires implementing robust access controls and monitoring user activities.
  • Medical Device Security: Connected medical devices that lack robust security measures can serve as entry points for attackers to access healthcare networks. Threats against medical devices can lead to patient safety issues and enable further attacks on other network devices.
  • Aging IT Infrastructure: Legacy systems and outdated software are vulnerable to exploitation by cybercriminals. Modernizing IT infrastructure and ensuring regular updates and patches are essential to mitigate risks associated with aging systems.

To address these threats, healthcare organizations must adopt a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that includes risk assessments, implementation of security frameworks, staff training, and continuous monitoring and improvement of security measures.

Strategies for Building Healthcare Cybersecurity Resilience

Organizations must adopt a comprehensive approach to building resilience to address increasing threats and challenges in the healthcare industry ecosystem. Here are key strategies to consider:

Risk Assessment and Risk Appetite Definition

Conduct regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and potential threats to your organization. Define your risk appetite, which will guide your cybersecurity strategy and investments.

Cybersecurity Frameworks and Best Practices

Adopt industry-recognized cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, or HIPAA Security Rule to establish a baseline for your security measures. Implement best practices like access controls, encryption, and regular software updates.

Healthcare Cyber Threats Awareness

Stay informed about emerging healthcare sector cyber threats, such as ransomware, data breaches, and DDoS attacks, and understand their potential impact on patient care and data security.

Security Controls and Incident Response Plans

Implement robust security controls to protect your systems and patient data, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection. Develop and regularly test incident response plans to ensure your organization is prepared to respond effectively to cyber incidents.

Staff  Training and Awareness Programs

Educate and train employees at all levels about cybersecurity best practices, common attack vectors, and their role in protecting the organization. Build a culture of cybersecurity awareness and accountability.

Cybersecurity Tools and Technologies

Invest in advanced cybersecurity tools and technologies tailored to the healthcare industry, such as medical device security solutions, cloud security platforms, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems.

Collaboration with Cybersecurity Experts and Service Providers

Partner with cybersecurity experts and service providers to access specialized knowledge, resources, and support in addressing complex security challenges. Engage with industry peers, government agencies, and information-sharing and analysis organizations (ISAOs) to share threat intelligence and best practices.

Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation of Cybersecurity Measures

Establish a robust real-time monitoring system to detect and respond to potential threats. Regularly review and enhance cybersecurity protocols based on emerging threats, industry trends, and lessons learned from incidents.

By implementing these strategies, healthcare organizations can build a strong foundation for cybersecurity resilience, protect patient care and data, and maintain trust with patients and stakeholders. However, it’s important to note that cybersecurity is an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement and adaptation to the evolving threat landscape.

Prepare…Predict…Protect Your Patient Data with Cyber-resilience

Protecting data is crucial to humanizing healthcare. Cyberattacks can harm healthcare organizations in multiple ways: financially through ransom demands, reputational damage from compromised data, and disruption to critical healthcare services.

By combining industry knowledge with proactive threat intelligence, our cybersecurity experts enable healthcare players to stay ahead of threats and make healthcare more secure for everyone.

On-Demand Webinar - Use AI to Elevate Your Microsoft Dynamics IQ

On-demand WebinarUse AI to Elevate Your Microsoft Dynamics’ IQ

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Tired of the same old challenges hindering your organization’s growth?

Watch this on-demand webinar and discover how to tackle the most pressing challenges organizations face today using Dynamics 365 and Azure AI. Learn how Synoptek’s strategic approach can transform your operations, enhance your enterprise architecture, and deliver tangible results.

In this session, you will be able to:

  • Gain insights into how Dynamics 365 can seamlessly integrate into your enterprise architecture to enhance efficiency and productivity.
  • Explore Azure AI’s role in our framework and see how it can transform your workflows and decision-making processes.
  • Discover best practices for a seamless rollout of Dynamics 365, integrated with AI and Copilot, ensuring a smooth transition and immediate benefits.
  • Decipher how to measure return on investment (ROI), reduce costs, and track success metrics effectively.

Whether you’re already using Dynamics 365 or considering implementing it, this session will provide the insights and strategies you need to make informed decisions.

Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the full potential of Dynamics 365 for your organization!

Microsoft Copilot vs Copilot Studio vs Custom AI

White PaperMicrosoft Copilot vs. Copilot Studio vs. Custom AI: A Deep Dive

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In today’s fast-paced digital era, efficiency is the name of the game. And that’s precisely what Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps achieve. Recent advancements in AI have wholly transformed business operations, making employees more productive and the business more equipped to respond and adapt to evolving trends, changes, and risks.

However, with new AI tools mushrooming daily, it is important to understand their capabilities in depth. While out-of-the-box AI tools like Microsoft Copilot pave the way for new ways of working, Copilot Studio allows organizations to extend and customize Microsoft Copilot to meet unique use cases. On the other hand, Custom AI solutions allow higher levels of customization and adaptation to unique workflows and data.

Read this white paper to understand:

  • The strengths and benefits of Microsoft Copilot
  • The strengths and benefits of Copilot Studio
  • How custom AI drives personalization
  • How to choose the right AI tool
  • The future of AI collaboration

Uncover additional insights via:

  • A deep dive into the various capabilities of these AI tools
  • A side-by-side comparison
  • A use case analysis of each tool

About the Author

Anish Purohit

Anish Purohit

Data Science Manager

Anish Purohit is a certified Azure Data Science Associate with over 11 years of industry experience. With a strong analytical mindset, Anish excels in architecting, designing, and deploying data products using a combination of statistics and technologies. He is proficient in AL/ML/DL and has extensive knowledge of automation, having built and deployed solutions on Microsoft Azure and AWS and led and mentored teams of data engineers and scientists.