Identifying and Evaluating the Threat of Transitive Information Leakage in Healthcare Systems

Electronic protected health information is a priority among politicians and healthcare providers alike. Under the current circumstances with increased data breaches and their associated costs ensuring information security is essential for the success of healthcare providers. This paper presents a detailed case study of a major hospital in the NY/NJ metropolitan area demonstrating the complexity of the healthcare system and its inherent information security risks. The study shows that only a systemic perspective allows identifying all potential risks and providing solutions for improved information security. The main conclusion of this study is that transitive information risks have major implications for healthcare organizations and regulators. Identifying these risks will significantly improve information security in the healthcare environment.