HIPAA News

Healthcare Organizations Increasingly Turning to Identity Engines for Data Protection

(Jan 23, 2008)--Identity Engines, provider of identity-centric network access management solutions, disclosed the recent surge in healthcare organizations deploying the company's 802.1X identity-based network access solutions. Identity Engines signed eight new healthcare customers in the second half of 2007, reflecting the increasing need for both healthcare providers and payers to control network access for data protection and regulatory compliance, enforce network resource allocation, and control patient and visitor wireless Internet access without impacting operations. Identity Engines' solutions provide complete control over which individuals and equipment can access sensitive network-based services, from where access is granted, and for how long the access should last.

Increasing HIPAA mandates for data protection are compelling healthcare providers to enforce access policies at the network level, whether access is requested via wired, wireless, or remote VPN connection. Identity Engines enables these organizations to secure open Ethernet ports or wireless APs in offices, conference rooms and public areas by authenticating requests for network access against existing directory structures or identity management solutions. Access to clinical applications can be differentiated across doctors, nurses and staff to provision minimum-necessary access rights based on role. Ignition Server can also limit contractor access for maintenance of network-enabled equipment to specific days and times, and make device-to-identity correlations for fast audits and trace-backs.

"Authenticated role-based access has been a critical but unmet need in healthcare network administration," said Simon Lewis, chief executive officer of Dataway, a San Francisco and Dublin, Ireland-based secure network consultancy and reseller. "Identity Engines' Ignition Server encompasses a powerful standards-based policy engine that dynamically orchestrates enforcement decisions for the multi-vendor infrastructure our clients have in place, effectively locking down network access and reducing time spent on audit and compliance."

Representative organizations signed or deployed by Identity Engines in the second half of 2007 include Alameda County Medical Center, CDPHP, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, the San Francisco Department of Public Health, SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital, and the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.

Identity Engines Ignition Server can also be deployed to enforce policies governing network resource utilization. For example, communication badges can be allocated highest priority for wireless bandwidth consumption, or wireless-enabled equipment such as computers on wheels (COWs), carts, and pumps can be logically disabled when they are removed from their assigned ward or floor, reducing instances of lost equipment.

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