Today's Perspective
Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief
I recently attended a conference on artificial intelligence, and my mind was blown by all of the potentially positive ways that computers and emerging technologies will improve our efficiency and ability to care for patients. Unfortunately, though, there are plenty of ways that some of these same technologies can be used to breach our networks and wage war on the health care system, from malware that compromises system integrity and patient privacy, to distributed attacks that disrupt facilities’ ability to provide patient care.
This issue of Pharmacy Today takes a deep dive into health care cyberattacks, focusing on the impact of the recent attack on Change Healthcare that began in February 2024. Change Healthcare helps insurance plans and health care facilities manage payments for services such as prescriptions. As of mid-April, many pharmacies were still struggling to process and receive payment for a backlog of Medicare Part B claims. “This attack on Change Healthcare illuminated the serious vulnerability we have in our health care system when very few vendors own nearly all the market share of business,” said Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, executive vice president and CEO of APhA. “Had an attack simultaneously occurred on Relay Health, the consequences to our system could have been catastrophic.”
In this issue of Today, you’ll also find the latest new drug approvals including Exblifep, a new antibiotic for complicated UTIs and pyelonephritis, nasal spray recommendations for allergy symptoms, and an update on whether NAD+ supplements can lengthen lifespan in humans. You’ll also catch up on changes with trivalent flu vaccines, read tips and tricks for recruiting and retaining pharmacy technicians, and get your latest CPE credits with this month’s article on medications for weight loss.
How can we decrease the risk of a cyberattack in our own backyard? Train, train, and train your staff about phishing emails—what they might look like and when not to open or click a link in an email. Report suspicious activities to your information technology team if possible. If you are in an independent pharmacy that doesn’t have dedicated resources for this, identify and educate staff on computer update and backup processes. Keep backup copies of essential data encrypted and preferably stored in a secure cloud. Restart your computer systems regularly to stay current with updates. Help your patients understand that they may be targeted for their personal and/or prescription data. Check out the article to learn more and read APhA’s recommendations on cybersecurity. And stay safe out there!
Have a great Today! ■