Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist (CHTS) Process Workflow & Information Management Redesign Practice Exam

How does a firewall contribute to healthcare data security?

1. By encrypting patient records

2. By providing a security barrier to the electronic health record (EHR)

3. By monitoring employee access

4. By deleting unauthorized data

The correct answer is: By providing a security barrier to the electronic health record (EHR)

A firewall contributes to healthcare data security primarily by functioning as a security barrier to the electronic health record (EHR). This involves monitoring and filtering incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. Such a barrier helps to protect sensitive patient information from external threats, such as hackers or malware, by preventing unauthorized access to the healthcare system. In the context of healthcare, firewalls help safeguard critical data against breaches, ensuring that only authorized users can interact with the EHR and that data remains secure during transmissions over the network. This is vital in maintaining patient confidentiality and complying with regulations like HIPAA, which demand robust security measures for electronic health information. While the other options touch upon aspects of data security, they do not accurately represent the specific function of a firewall. Encrypting patient records is an important measure, but it is achieved through encryption protocols, not by a firewall itself. Monitoring employee access is part of access control mechanisms but does not describe a firewall's main role. Deleting unauthorized data may be part of data governance practices but is not a function of firewall technology, which is primarily defensive in nature.