The most sensitive information about a person is often their health information. Individuals, health care providers, researchers and other stakeholders alike have significant concerns about the confidentiality and integrity of electronic health information that is created, transmitted and stored using health IT. This is especially true in light of the health care industry’s move toward cloud-based storage, where patient data of entire populations is held in one place.

Research done in this lab focusses on the challenges facing health care data security today. These issues include cybersecurity attacks, breaches, hacking and other threats; risks associated with health information exchanges; user errors in technology adoption and transmission of unencrypted medical data; risks of the adopting cloud and mobile technology in health care; and the use of legacy technology in medical facilities. The lab will develop robust mechanisms and best practices for securing information so that health care organizations can continue to advance with interoperable systems.