Why Cybersecurity & Data Privacy in EHR Matters More Than Ever
Table of Contents Help Others Discover – Click to Share! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Table of Contents Digital healthcare has become the backbone of modern clinical practice – from instant access to patient histories to seamless referrals across care pathways. But as healthcare rapidly shifts to electronic systems, the need to protect patient information has never been more urgent. Data privacy in EHR systems is now a foundational requirement, not a technical detail. With cyberattacks on hospitals increasing year after year, healthcare organisations must ensure their digital platforms are secure, compliant, and trusted by both clinicians and patients. Healthcare faced an unprecedented surge in cyber risks in 2024, recording 444 major cyber incidents, including 238 ransomware attacks and 206 data breaches. More than 276 million PHI records were exposed that year averaging 758,288 compromised records a day and early 2025 reviews revealed that over 90% of hacked health records came from systems outside the EHR, with none of the stolen data encrypted. Within EHR/EMR systems, 128 breaches affected 4.9 million records, while non-EMR systems were responsible for nearly 1.5 billion compromised records. Hacking remained the biggest threat, with 363 incidents exposing 131 million records, and surveys showed 25.5% of healthcare staff admitted accessing colleagues’ EMRs out of curiosity. Overall, healthcare saw 556 breaches in 2024, at least 14 million U.S. patients affected by mid-year, and 1,542 confirmed data disclosures in Verizon’s 2025 DBIR, with 387 breaches exceeding 500 records. These numbers clearly demonstrate how critical strong data privacy measures in EHR systems have become. The statistics indicate that when a healthcare organisation suffers a breach of its cybersecurity infrastructure, it jeopardises the entire system; and a data privacy breach places the patient at risk. Cybersecurity and data privacy are interlinked and go hand in hand when building a modern EHR framework. This is why strong, well-designed EHR privacy frameworks matter now more than ever. Defining EHR Data Privacy and Cybersecurity: What Does It Mean? Data Privacy in EHR Cybersecurity in EHR Governs how patient information is collected, stored, accessed, shared, and protected Protects the EHR systems, networks, devices, and integrations from cyberattacks and unauthorised access Ensures confidentiality, integrity, and availability of patient data Ensures system integrity, operational continuity, and protection from external threats Focuses on who can access and use patient information Focuses on how systems and infrastructure are secured Driven by regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, NHS DSP Toolkit Driven by cybersecurity standards like ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, OWASP guidelines Failure leads to unauthorised use of patient data, legal issues, and loss of trust Failure leads to system downtime, EMR/ EHR data breaches, ransomware attacks, and operational disruption Healthcare organisations must prioritise both data privacy and cybersecurity to safeguard patient information and maintain trust. While regulations and standards provide guidance, it is the implementation of consistent practices, secure systems, and vigilant staff behaviour that ensures EHRs remain protected against evolving threats. A modern EHR should seamlessly combine compliance, security, and usability, allowing clinicians to deliver care efficiently without compromising patient safety. Obstacles Faced by EHR Systems Regarding Patient Information Security Even with cutting-edge facilities, the ongoing obstacles continue to exist: Cybercrime/External Attacks via Ransomware Cybercriminals take advantage of older software and unpatched systems to gain unauthorised access to facilities. From there, they are able to lock out entire hospitals. Insider Errors or Misuse Human error such as weak passwords or unauthorised access, is one of the biggest threats to Data Privacy in EHR systems. Integration into Multiple Systems When multiple systems integrate in order to exchange data, there can be major security concerns if those integrations are not adequately secured. Mobile Access and Remote Workflow Advancement As health care becomes increasingly mobile, protecting access to EHRs from beyond the clinical environment is crucial. Addressing these challenges requires EHR platforms built with security-first engineering. Cybersecurity Features Every EHR Needs for Strong Data Privacy To protect against modern threats, an EHR should include: End-to-end encryption for all data at rest and in transit. Role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict data based on clinical responsibilities. Comprehensive audit logs that track every action and access. Secure APIs to allow safe integrations with labs, imaging systems, referral networks, and portals. Automated backups and disaster recovery systems to minimise downtime. Strict mobile access controls for clinicians accessing records remotely. These features form the backbone of trustworthy Data Privacy in EHR environments. How Cellma Strengthens Cybersecurity & Data Privacy in EHR Cellma ensures that it incorporates all aspects of cybersecurity and data privacy within the entire EHR ecosystem. When a design is made using a security-by-design principle and is integrated throughout all processes that create EHRs, patient information will continue to provide data privacy. Here’s how Cellma stands out: Encrypted Data Exchange Every interaction, from clinical notes to referral uploads is encrypted, ensuring secure data flow within and outside the organisation. Enhanced Role-Based Access Control System Cellma allows administrators to customise permissions, ensuring clinicians access only what they need. Complete Logs of Usage Logs are maintained for each individual user, providing organisations with 100% visibility of each authorisation and therefore creating the basis for the user’s accountability. Secure Connections Between Systems Cellma’s ability to connect seamlessly with other systems is provided through the use of secure API’s that protect data privacy in EHR workflows. ISO 27001–Aligned Cloud Hosting Cellma’s infrastructure adheres to international standards for information security, offering an additional layer of protection. Privacy-Focused Portals Both CellmaFlex (patient portal) and Cellma Connect (referral portal) are designed with privacy-first architecture, ensuring safe communication and data sharing. Continuous Monitoring & Vulnerability Testing As new threats continue to arise, Cellma continuously monitors and tests to ensure that the system is updated and secured against these new threats. Cellma doesn’t just manage healthcare data, it safeguards it. Key Data Security & Compliance Standards and How Cellma Aligns with Them Ensuring strong cybersecurity and data privacy in EHR systems requires adherence to globally recognised data protection and cybersecurity standards. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Cellma complies with GDPR by using secure end-to-end data flows, role-based access controls, built-in consent capture capabilities, as well as full documentation for tracking and auditing of all consent captured. NHS Data Security and Protection (DSP) Toolkit The NHS DSP Toolkit defines the basic level of compliance required for all NHS patient data. Cellma provides NHS compliance through encrypted data sharing, strict access controls and ready-to-govern workflows. Cyber Essentials Plus Cyber Essentials is designed to protect against cyberattacks. Cellma reflects these practices with secure configurations, malware protection, and controlled system access. OWASP Application Security Guidelines OWASP is the industry standard for software development best practices. Cellma uses secure software coding practices, conducts regular penetration testing and practices vulnerability management. HL7 & FHIR Interoperability Standards HL7 and FHIR are standards for secure and structured sharing of electronic health data across different healthcare systems. Cellma supports both standards through encrypted data