Characteristics of IS Security Approaches with Respect to Healthcare

In this paper, we provide a detailed overview of specific characteristics required to evaluate IS security approaches with regard to their applicability in the healthcare domain. The future of integrated treatment is enabled by e-health solutions that comprise health services and information delivered or enhanced through communication and information technologies. This is based on the communication between medical information systems involving all healthcare stakeholders. Thus, the implementation of e-health requires not only the establishment of IS communication infrastructures and the appropriate reorganization of current processes, but also requires the deployment of adequate security approaches concerning information systems in healthcare. Due to the special requirements that need to be met to ensure the security of personal health information and due to the healthcare processes that directly affect the care and service delivered to the patients, there is a strong need for clear, concise and healthcare specific IS security approach characteristics.