The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an 85% likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season in 2024. For the healthcare industry, this forecast underscores the urgent need to prepare not only physical locations but also digital infrastructure in disaster planning. 

In the event of a disaster, healthcare providers need to ensure the protection and preservation of their patient records/Protected Health Information (PHI) and various IT systems. This is crucial for maintaining operations and continuing to provide essential healthcare services to communities while also maintaining health insurance portability and accountability act standards (or HIPAA compliance). 

The Impact of Natural Disasters on Healthcare Infrastructure  

We’re used to seeing media coverage of the devastating impact of hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes. What isn’t covered as much is the significant damage natural disasters can also cause to IT systems and digital infrastructure—damage that can lead to disruptions in the critical services healthcare organizations provide.  

Here are some of the operations and digital infrastructure-related challenges natural disasters can pose:   

• Power Outages: Natural disasters resulting in widespread power outages can cripple servers, data centers, and other critical IT systems while rendering some medical technologies useless until power is restored, thereby disrupting healthcare operations and patient care.  

• Flooding: In addition to posing a safety hazard and delaying emergency response, floodwater can damage physical IT hardware, including on-site servers, storage devices, and networking equipment, leading to data loss and prolonged downtime.  

• Communication Breakdowns: Destructive events can knock out communication networks, making it difficult to coordinate crisis response efforts as well as preventing access to cloud services and remote data centers needed for operations, patient records, and care.  

• Supply Chain Breakdowns: After a hurricane, routes can be blocked due to damage, leading to supply chain disruptions that could last for days or even weeks. This means replacements or repairs to critical IT infrastructure may be delayed.  

• Cybersecurity Threats: In the chaos following a disaster, there may be an increased risk of cyberattacks as systems are more likely to suffer vulnerabilities during recovery efforts. The odds of a data breach, malware/ransomware, and other attacks escalate following a disaster.  

Protect Your Healthcare IT Environment: 4 Areas of Focus  

To mitigate the risks posed by natural disasters, healthcare organizations must implement robust measures with contingency plans to protect their IT infrastructure and boost their organization’s ability to get back online as fast as possible. Here are some essential areas for achieving effective crisis management, broken down in more detail:  

1.Data Backup Plan & Recovery: Develop a comprehensive disaster recovery plan with procedures for data backup, system restoration, and operations continuity. Start with a risk assessment and operations impact analysis to identify the required elements, then ensure all provider leaders and team members are drilled to be familiar with your plan.   

• • Disaster Recovery Plan: Develop and regularly update your HHS-template-based disaster recovery plan, including procedures for data restoration and system recovery. Also create contingency plans where needed, based on your facility’s unique situation.  

• • Regular Backups: Know your recovery point objective (RPO), or the maximum age of data you need to recover to resume operations after a major event. Regularly backup all critical data and use off-site backups to protect against localized disasters.  

• • Cloud Storage: Utilize cloud storage solutions for data redundancy and quick recovery. This will also ensure that you retain access to EMR/EHR and practice management (PM) software even if your physical site is underwater, severely damaged, or destroyed.  
      

2. Physical Protection: There are preventative measures you can take to physically protect your infrastructure. If you receive notice that a natural disaster may be coming and you have time to make additional preparations, there are some actions you can take to protect your organization from the worst of the physical damages that, for example, a hurricane might bring.  

• • Elevate Equipment: If you know there is risk of severe flooding, place servers and other critical hardware on elevated platforms to protect against damage. Move mobile hardware—such as computers and portable medical technologies—to higher floors when possible. Leverage waterproof enclosures on critical equipment if available.  

• • Barriers: Protect any onsite servers, backup systems, computers, and other critical infrastructure from physical damage by reinforcing buildings, installing flood barriers/sandbags, and storing in better protected spaces where possible, such as windowless, internal rooms and higher floors.  

• • Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Install UPS systems to provide temporary power during outages and ensure a controlled shutdown of equipment, as needed. Ensure all backup generators are in place and functional. Physical infrastructure should be tested, maintained, and updated regularly to ensure effectiveness.  
      

3. Network Resilience: Connectivity is the backbone of modern-day healthcare operations. The ability for providers to effectively provide patient care, keep records, and communicate to other providers is dependent on the quality and reliability of digital infrastructure. Connectivity can be compromised or disrupted during a disaster if measures aren’t taken to protect it.  

• • Redundant Connections: Establish redundant internet connections to maintain communication if one network fails. This works by ensuring multiple data flow pathways; if one fails, another can take over maintaining continuous communication. Redundant systems can also help healthcare organizations meet regulatory requirements.  

• • Satellite Communication: Consider satellite communication systems as a backup for critical communication needs. This is another way to create redundancies with overlapping coverage. In addition to near-global coverage, satellite communication offers interference resistance with advanced technologies the ensure reliable connection in the event of a disaster.  

• • Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Use VPNs to secure remote access to systems and data. VPNs protect data integrity and confidentiality with encryption and improve scalability. They also allow secure access to network resources from any location, including when physical access to facilities is compromised, supporting the rapid deployment of telemedicine.  

4. Cybersecurity Measures: Bad actors often try to take advantage of the chaos that occurs after a natural disaster event. Therefore, it is important to strengthen cybersecurity protocols to safeguard against potential threats and ensure data protection. This includes updating software, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conducting regular security audits.  

• • Firewalls and Intrusion Detection: Implement robust firewalls and intrusion detection systems to protect against cyber threats. This restricts unauthorized access to sensitive patient data and systems while continuously monitoring traffic for malicious activities, thereby maintaining network integrity and data protection.  

• • Regular Updates: Keep all software and systems updated with the latest patches. Doing this maintains the stability and reliability of healthcare systems, preventing unexpected failures during critical times. It also helps maintain regulatory requirements and protects against vulnerabilities that criminals may try to take advantage of during a disaster.   

• • Employee Training: Regularly train all staff—not just IT team members—on cybersecurity best practices and how to recognize phishing attempts, avoid ransomware, and remain knowledgeable of the latest cyberthreats to healthcare. Regular testing is also recommended to monitor the effectiveness of training.  

Steps to Quickly Restore Healthcare Facility Operations 

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, healthcare institutions must act swiftly to begin the recovery process and restore operations according to the business continuity plan. Here are the key steps to take once the immediate danger has passed:  

1. Assess the Damage: Conduct a thorough assessment of the damage to both physical and digital infrastructure. Prioritize the restoration of critical systems and services—electricity, water, EHR/EMR, PM systems, etc.   
2. Activate Disaster Recovery Plan: Follow the procedures outlined in the disaster recovery plan to restore data and systems. Coordinate with IT staff and external vendors to expedite data recovery efforts and enforce disaster recovery policies.   
3. Communication: Establish clear communication channels with staff, patients, and other stakeholders. This may mean acquiring a “hotspot” for Wi-Fi or purchasing handheld radios. Keep everyone updated on recovery efforts and procedures.   
4. Test Systems: Before fully resuming operations, test all restored systems to ensure they are functioning correctly. Verify the integrity of restored data and confirm that all security measures are in place.  
5. Review and Improve: After recovery, conduct a review of the disaster response to identify any gaps in your current procedures and/or areas for improvement. Update the disaster recovery plan based on lessons learned to enhance preparedness for future events.  

Keep Your IT Assets Safe from the Storm  

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season presents a significant challenge for healthcare, threatening PHI, data, and IT infrastructure. By taking proactive measures to protect your digital environment and implement a robust disaster recovery plan, healthcare institutions can minimize disruptions, maintain a high-quality of patient care, and facilitate a swift return to normal operations.    

Preparing your healthcare organization for a natural disaster is not just about safeguarding physical assets; it’s about maintaining the trust and confidence of the communities that depend on your services. Now is the time to act and ensure that your organization is ready to weather the storm with a proper disaster recovery strategy—and partnering with the right IT service provider can make all the difference. 

Contact UDT today to learn how our team can empower you to be ready when disaster strikes with cloud technology and recovery solutions that suit your unique needs and pricing constraints. Our team is standing by to support you!