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Topic: Windows 8

Windows 8 security for healthcare IT

Summary: In the healthcare world, subject to both HIPAA and HITECH regulations, security is critically important. This article dives into the Windows 8 security models and shows how Windows 8 provides strong security for healthcare deployments.

Denise Amrich

By for ZDNet Health |

Now that Windows 8 has been out for a while, we've all come to know both its strengths (it's a pretty solid OS under the hood) and its weaknesses (the missing Start button, for instance).

I've talked before about why I think there might actually be some benefit to the tile UI in a Windows 8 environment, and about why Windows 8 may be the ideal tablet OS for healthcare.

In this article, I'm going to continue our look into Windows 8. Personally, I use Windows 8 on my two machines. Once I installed Start8, I found Windows 8 to be virtually identical (although a little more reliable) than my Windows 7 machines. All my devices work well, all my device drivers, and even all the various pieces of specialized software.

In the healthcare world, subject to both the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) regulations, security is critically important. Windows 8 has improved upon some of the previous Windows security models (and vastly improved on the security that exists on old XP machines). The following two segments (one video, one audio) dive into Windows 8 security, especially from a healthcare IT perspective.

This next "video" is audio-only, but very interesting. It's worth spending the six or so minutes to listen in.

Topics: Windows 8, Health, Security

About

Denise Amrich is a Registered Nurse, the health care advisor for the U.S. Strategic Perspective Institute, and a mentor for the Virtual Campus at Florida's Brevard Community College.


Nothing in this article is meant to be a substitute for medical advice, and shouldn't be considered as such. If you are in need of medical help, please see your doctor.

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15 comments
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  • who in THE HELL would use Windows 8 in a hospital? I would run from it

    I think if I was in a hospital where they were using a toy operating system to save lives I would run as fast and as far away from that hospital as I possibly could.
    j4w4
    Reply 3 Votes

    • And I'm guessing if they used iOS or Android

      You'd do the same?
      Michael Alan Goff
      Reply 3 Votes

    • iOS or Android or Android in a hospital?

      Doesn't instill me with confidence -

      "Nurse, pull up Mr. Farrel's chart"

      "I'm trying doctor, but all I'm getting is something that says meet sexy Asian women. Oh wait, Now I got Angry Birds, and a lot of Lipitor ads".

      In all seriousness, I was in the ER on Friday at the brand new hospital that just opened in November , and they were using small Windows based handheld devices to scan an track everything patient related via bar codes.
      William Farrel
      Reply 4 Votes

      • who cares about windows

        Computer users care about the applications they have, not what OS they run on. In this particular case the applications are very restricted and the OS absolutely does not matter. It matters more how comfortable and convenient the device is.
        danbi
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Correct

          And Windows 8 allows a nice mix of big touch based apps on the move and a traditional interface, with keyboard and mouse, for typing up reports etc. back at a desk.

          That is better than either being desktop bound with an old XP computer, or worse an XP tablet, or having to use 2 different platforms, with something like an iPad on the move and a Windows PC back at the desk (or a Mac). You have all apps and applications you need on one device.

          Given the amount of legacy Windows software needed, that is a big bonus.
          wright_is
          Reply 4 Votes

        • Such nonsense...

          A device without a good OS, that understands the device, is basically, a gadget and not much good for productive work.

          An application is written with the target device and OS in mind, and, there aren't too many applications written that are agnostic of the platform.

          Your nonsense has gotten more towards the garbage side.
          adornoe
          Reply Vote

    • Sounds like you ran far away

      from that mental institution as fast as you could.

      Oh, and they're not using a "toy operating system". If you re-read the article you'll se the never once mentioned Apple or Linux.

      Was that the response you were fishing for?
      William Farrel
      Reply 4 Votes

    • And I'd run...

      if they were still using XP...
      wright_is
      Reply 1 Vote

  • I'm not so sure

    I'm working with a doctor's office to implement the Electronic Medical Records mandate of ACA (Obamacare). This is done in cooperation with a couple of big hospitals.

    When I asked if the new PC's we're buying for this should be Win 8 or Win 7 the response was: "Win 7. We don't support 8 and we don't plan to support 8".

    Now that may change in a few years but it does point out what I think is the biggest mistake MS made with 8. They forced their users to completely retrain, they forced their developers to completely rewrite, and I'm not sure what hoops the hardware folks had to jump through.

    Microsoft's biggest asset is their user and developer base. To say forget what you learned, forget what you wrote, this is better does not seem to be going over well. Perhaps they feel they'll have enough phones and tablets in the hands of consumers to make up for the people who get real work done with their devices.
    areeda
    Reply 2 Votes

    • @areeda" I'm not so sure

      What is meant by support Windows 8? I don't see what the difference between Windows 7 & 8 is when it comes to supporting a piece of software that already exists and runs on Windows 7. In our testing we've had a Java app that didn't quite work as expected on Windows 8, beyond that if it worked on Windows 7 it worked on Windows 8. The far bigger issues are apps built around Office or Internet Explorer and those have nothing to do with the OS but specific versions of those applications.
      relwolf
      Reply Vote

    • How can they not plan to support Windows 8?

      Basically the same thing as Windows 7 when it comes to software, and unless they also purchase the hardware themselves as part of the system, they'd screw themselves out of sales to anyone running Windows 8
      William Farrel
      Reply Vote

      • fit it occur to you

        That in healthcare the standards are higher than in consumer entertainment - and that those people chose their platforms and do not tolerate anything thrown randomly at them?

        These systems are sufficiently complex and "dangerous" that nobody will risk human life with half-bakes platforms.

        Also, the time it takes to certify certain platform for use is very long. By the time it is certified, windows 8 will most probably be gone. Why waste resources?

        Finally, none of this software is available in the general market. There is no way it ends up in the Microsoft App Store. Nobody cares if you will be running windows 8, because it is not for you. Heck, that software can happily run on DOS!
        danbi
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Oh really?

          I have worked in the Healthcare industry for the past 8 years with three different corporations. Are of them are saturated with Windows XP and Windows 7 (No Vista really). I've seen some of them supporting Windows 8 as it easily meshes with Windows 7. One is even starting to write some applications directly for the new interface.

          Say what you will, but in my experience Microsoft is well embedded in the Healthcare industry and will continue to be so.
          fldbryan@...
          Reply Vote

  • Windows 8 security for healthcare IT

    what a joke that is when microsoft know there is none what a joke
    ttx19
    Reply Vote

    • Sounds like you know what Microsoft knows, but, I highly doubt it,

      and all that you are doing is expressing a biased opinion, and you don't even have a clue about what Microsoft knows, and even worse, you don't even have a clue about what you're talking about.
      adornoe
      Reply Vote
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