Password Managers – 4 Reasons You Should Use One for Your Medical Practice

Are you considering using a password manager?

When you think about it, a password can be the barrier that stands between a hacker and your important data, patient information, or even unwanted entry into your medical practice’s network.

Sure, there are several things you can employ to make it harder for cybercriminals, including multi-factor authentication. But the password is the primary obstacle.

Too many passwords to remember

Many people are aware they need to be creating and using complex passwords – but in reality, many aren’t doing this. Why?

Most business workers have to juggle numerous passwords just to maintain their job functions. Add to that all the other passwords they have to keep in mind from outside of work, and that typically equates to a large number of credentials to memorize.

Practice managers and physicians have a high responsibility to ensure they have hard-to-penetrate accounts and computers. Their systems have all manner of sensitive data, such as patient histories, medical billing information, personally identifiable information (PII), and more. You don’t want any of these getting into the wrong hands.

It’s no wonder password managers are gaining popularity. A password manager is an application that securely stores your passwords.

Here are 4 reasons why you might consider using a password manager for your medical office.

1. Password managers enable you and your staff to effortless wield complex passwords

When you have to memorize a password, many people will use strings of words or things they can remember – passwords a hacker may be able overcome with time or ingenuity.

With a password manager, you can use a computer-generated string of unrelated characters that can be nigh impossible to beat.

Medical practices can be big targets for cyber criminals. Stronger passwords across the board can help harden your overall cybersecurity.

2. Password managers can help cut down on password sharing

Does your staff members share passwords? This study regarding sharing credentials in electronic medical records seems to indicate that it may very well be an issue. Over 70% of respondents in that survey indicated they used a password from a fellow medical staff member.

With proper use of a password manager, your staff can be more confident in using their own credentials for EMR and other medical areas and functions.

3. Password managers help users maintain unique passwords for each of their accounts

As you get your staff (and yourself) to start using more complex passwords, you may start to reuse these complex passwords across more than one account because it’s just so hard to remember these longer passwords. This, of course, is not recommended.

If a cyber criminal gets a hold of one of these passwords on the dark web or some other means, they would be able to access your other accounts where you recycled the password.

By using a password manager, you can keep a completely unique set of passwords.

4. Less fumbling for passwords and password resets

It’s inevitable. You forget a password. At the most inopportune moment.

You try several incorrect passwords. Perhaps you lock yourself out of the account.

A password manager can simplify the process and allow you to remember just one set of credentials for all your work. As you go through your day and need to access multiple systems and applications, you can do so more confidently and securely, with less hiccups.

With great convenience comes some risk

Thinking about using password managers for your medical practice?

A password manager can certainly be a boon to your practice. But, as they say, be careful when you put all your eggs in one basket.

Be sure to have a very secure password for your password manager account. And, of course, make sure you can remember this master password and associated security keys.

If you do lose access, there should be a password reset feature, but it can be a bit of a headache.

Ready to use a password manager?

There are multiple password manager applications to choose from, and browsers can have their own. These can certainly make it easier to navigate through your day-to-day at the your practice, but be sure to weigh the risks and keep the drawbacks in mind as you evaluate whether to use password managers.

Whichever way you go, just remember that good passwords are paramount to the health of your practice’s network.