Security Spending Up at Rural Hospital

Ron Kloewer

Breach Prevention, Compliance Lead to Investments

December 20, 2010 - Howard Anderson, Managing Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity.com


[Original Article at Healthinfosecurity.com]
Ron Kloewer, CIO at 25-bed Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, explains why the critical access facility's spending on information security will grow in 2011.

The rural Iowa hospital will spend more on information security because of its efforts to prevent health information breaches and comply with HIPAA and the HITECH Act, Kloewer says.

In an interview, Kloewer describes:

• Top security projects for 2010, including network infrastructure upgrades, encryption of backup media and continuation of business continuity and disaster recovery improvements;
• How plans to apply for HITECH electronic health record incentive payments are influencing security strategies, including plans for a gap analysis;
• Why the hospital does not allow patient information to be stored on desktops, mobile devices or thumb drives;
• Why the hospital won't hire more IT staff next year, instead focusing on providing technical training to staff members in various departments.

Kloewer wears many hats in his executive role at Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, a critical access facility in Red Oak, Iowa. He serves as CIO, risk manager, privacy and security officer and director of planning and development.