.png)
When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep, knowing your facility’s data—and your residents—were truly safe?
For most of us in senior care leadership, it’s been a while. Between CMS readiness, family expectations, cyber insurance renewals, and the daily demands of resident care, cybersecurity often feels like “one more thing” on an already overflowing plate.
But here’s the truth: cyber hygiene is no longer optional. It’s not a tech issue—it’s a resident safety issue.
🛡️ The Basics Still Matter (More Than Ever)
IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that 82% of cloud-related breaches could have been prevented with foundational protections. The kind of things your IT folks might call “basic,” but that make all the difference between sleeping peacefully or scrambling after a ransomware attack.
I like to think of cyber hygiene as the handwashing of your digital world. Not flashy, but lifesaving.
Here are four essential practices to protect your residents—and your peace of mind:
1. Lock Down Your Network
Just like you wouldn’t leave medication carts open, don’t leave your WiFi exposed. Make sure your network:
- Uses a firewall and encryption to protect data in transit.
- Keeps WiFi hidden with a non-broadcasted SSID.
- Requires strong passwords on all routers.
- Provides VPN access for any remote staff accessing sensitive systems.
This helps ensure that even when someone is working off-site, your resident data isn’t.
2. Train Staff Like Lives Depend On It (Because They Do)
Even the best systems can’t stop a click on the wrong email. Train your team to:
- Use strong passwords and multifactor authentication (MFA).
- Recognize phishing attempts and suspicious links.
- Follow proper procedures when handling sensitive resident or payment data.
These aren’t “IT policies.” They’re part of your care protocol now.
3. Back Up What Matters Most
If a ransomware attack hits and you lose access to PointClickCare, resident health files, or billing systems, how long could your team function?
Set up automatic backups for all critical systems and files—including financial, HR, and EHR data. Store copies securely offsite or in the cloud.
This ensures that care—and compliance—can continue even during a crisis.
4. Give Access Only Where It’s Needed
Not every staff member needs access to everything. In fact, that’s dangerous.
- Limit data access based on role.
- Remove former employees from all systems immediately.
- Restrict admin privileges to trusted IT or leadership only.
This reduces the blast radius if something goes wrong.
🌱 A Healthier Facility, One Click at a Time
Yes, implementing all this takes time. But as someone who’s seen the heartbreak of breached trust—families in tears, residents moved, boards demanding answers—I can promise you this:
Doing nothing costs far more.
So here’s my invitation…
📋 Let’s Get You a Cyber Checkup
If you’re not sure where your facility stands, we offer a free Cybersecurity Risk Assessment designed specifically for Minnesota senior care providers. It’s not technical mumbo-jumbo—it’s plain-language clarity about your risks, your gaps, and what to do next.
You’ll walk away with an actionable roadmap and the peace of mind that you’re doing right by your residents, your board, and your mission.
👉 Schedule your free assessment here: Book time with Howard Holmen
or call BounceBack Solutions at 763-335-9255
You’re not alone in this. And you don’t have to be an IT expert to lead a secure, compliant, and trusted facility.
Let’s take this one step at a time—together.
.png)
.png)
