Forum: Doctors may need help preventing cyber attacks on patient databases
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It takes sophisticated equipment and constant surveillance by IT personnel to recognise cyber attacks (Critical infrastructure in S’pore under attack by cyber espionage group: Shanmugam, July 18)
Non-tech-savvy doctors like me, who are mostly concerned with diagnosing and treating patients, are given access to important databases like the National Electronic Health Record portal. We input patients’ personal and medical information into the database, or extract information from it, every day.
I fear that a virus implanted into our computers will wreak havoc with the medical system, and may lead to the filing of fake medical claims, procurement of controlled drugs or blackmailing of patients and institutions. If that happens, it will cause loss of trust and confidence in the presently well-structured patient care system.
A virus in the computer system can also worm its way into other aspects of our lives through other government agencies.
Clinic management systems and especially doctors themselves need far more government support to prevent such cyber attacks from happening. There is also the constant overhanging fear that simple inadvertence and carelessness may lead to prosecution.
Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)
