The journey to passwordless for healthcare: Considerations and practical advice

Discover how passwordless authentication can remove friction for clinicians and drastically improve security posture for healthcare organizations.

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare technology, securing sensitive data and systems has never been more crucial. Our latest whitepaper, The journey to passwordless for healthcare, outlines a transformative approach towards enhancing cybersecurity and operational efficiency through passwordless authentication. The whitepaper also examines how passwordless authentication applies to and enhances clinical workflows.

What is passwordless authentication?

Passwordless authentication eliminates the need for traditional passwords by replacing them with more secure and user-friendly methods of authenticating users. These methods can include badge-based authentication, smartphone apps, biometrics, or using a PIN instead of password. Passwordless can be single-factor, or to achieve higher levels of security, it can apply two or more factors for multifactor authentication (MFA).

*PIN should only be used as a second factor, never as the only authentication factor

Why passwordless is important for healthcare organizations

In the wake of so many data breaches, healthcare organizations naturally want to increase their level of security to combat cyber threats. Instituting longer passwords is one way to thwart bad actors, and security specialists keep increasing their recommendations for minimum password length.

However, healthcare organizations simply can't force 16-to-30-character passwords on clinicians. Doing so would only increase authentication friction for clinicians who can't waste time struggling to recall a long and complicated password - or worse, risk getting locked out after multiple failed login attempts. In these situations, a healthcare professional will naturally choose an unsecure workaround, like using a colleague's credentials, rather than let themselves be blocked from treating a patient.

The healthcare sector also faces unique workflow challenges, such as the need for quick and always-available access to patient data from multiple, often shared devices. At the same time, healthcare organizations need to uphold strict compliance with privacy regulations. The solution lies with access management technology that offers high-level security controls and optimal ease and convenience for clinicians.

Chart a path to achieve passwordless authentication and systems

It isn't feasible for most healthcare organizations to quickly attain 100% passwordless systems. However, there is a realistic path they can chart to move steadily closer to removing passwords from all connections. We call this the passwordless maturity model, which moves from Level 0, where all access is password-based, to Level 4, where all passwords are removed from all systems.

Considering the healthcare industry's complex ecosystem, most organizations will need significant time to reach Level 4. Fortunately, reaching Level 3 already offers many of the security benefits of passwordless authentication, making it less urgent for organizations to rush to the top level of maturity. At Level 3, passwords are fully masked from end users. This makes it possible to randomize user passwords and remove most password-related cyber risks, while still working within legacy systems. In addition to cyber security benefits, this strategy also improves clinical workflows, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on patient care instead of technology hurdles.

It should be noted that it's not necessary for all users to attain the same level of passwordless at the same time. End users with fewer or less complicated workflows may be able to achieve a higher passwordless maturity level earlier. For example, it will be easier for non-clinical users to achieve Level 3 before clinical users, and this, in itself, can significantly reduce cyber risk.

Considerations for success

Many different passwordless authentication methods exist. To select the right methods and systems, it is important to first consider all aspects of user experience across the full spectrum of digital access scenarios. Healthcare workers interact with many different devices and workflows. User experience is especially important to these workers for delivering quality patient care when time is of the essence.

Clinical workflows such as signing into an electronic health record (EHR) system, re-authenticating into an EHR, e-prescribing controlled substances, signing into medical devices, and many more, each have authentication criteria that must be considered when selecting authenticators and determining how to implement systems.

Make the necessary preparations for your passwordless journey

By adopting a passwordless approach, healthcare organizations can simultaneously protect sensitive data, improve operational efficiency, and provide a better experience for both clinicians and patients.

To understand Imprivata's vision for a passwordless future, dive into our whitepaper, The journey to passwordless for healthcare, or schedule a roadmap session, and start your own journey towards more secure, efficient, and user-friendly authentication.

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