Secure transmission of patient information with antivirus safeguards ensured

In the digital age, the security of electronic health data has become paramount. Hospitals in Baden-Württemberg are taking significant strides in this regard, with the active implementation of electronic health cards (eGK), electronic patient records (ePA), electronic sick leave certificates (eAU), and electronic prescriptions (E-Rezept).

To safeguard these digital records, the clinic has chosen the Anti-Malware Multiscanner MetaDefender from OPSWAT. This decision comes as part of a broader initiative to secure the hospital's digital infrastructure.

The clinic is employing the ICAP interface, a common standard in hospitals across Baden-Württemberg and beyond, for seamless malware scanning. Notably, an antivirus solution from OPSWAT via the ICAP interface has not been integrated anywhere yet, making this a pioneering move.

Recognising the potential risks posed by patient-uploaded data and mobile data storage devices, the hospital aims to scan all emails with an antivirus solution before they are uploaded. To achieve this, they are using the proGOV KIM service, which also serves as their email server and email client.

While KIM offers secure exchange of findings, documents, and messages via email in healthcare, it does not inherently secure or scan files brought into or uploaded to KIM. This aspect requires special attention, and the hospital is addressing it by configuring the ICAP interface on the KIM services to enable communication with the OPSWAT solutions.

The use case of this integration, managed by ProSoft GmbH, successfully implemented the integration of malware multi-scanning into the KIM ICAP interface. This move is seen as a challenge in healthcare digitalization, but one that is necessary to ensure the security of patient data.

The passing of the "Act to Accelerate the Digitalization of the Healthcare System" (Digital-Gesetz DigiG) in December 2023 underscores the importance of such initiatives. In line with this, DATAGROUP has successfully implemented the OPSWAT MetaDefender Anti-Malware Multiscanner on a clinic campus in Baden-Württemberg to enhance the security of KIM-based emails by pre-scanning files for malware.

As hospitals continue to digitize their operations, the need for robust security measures will only increase. The successful implementation of OPSWAT solutions in Baden-Württemberg hospitals is a promising step towards ensuring the safety and privacy of patient data.