Protecting healthcare data with policy-driven authorization

Healthcare organizations are lagging behind when it comes to authorization. Here we look at how organizations can arm themselves against these issues.

Axiomatics   ·   Thursday, February 6th, 2025   ·   Reading Time: 3 minutes

When I started working at Axiomatics I quickly learned how important authorization is not only in the cybersecurity realm, but in the healthcare industry as well.

Something we often hear is that people who work at a hospital often have more access than what they need. For example, it’s not uncommon that a hospital employee can access any medical record for any hospital in the whole region — regardless of who they were.

In this case, you would hope that there is a moral understanding not to view these records, but there is nothing physically stopping people from accessing them. This could lead data to fall into the wrong hands causing compliance issues, information getting leaked/stolen, and more. As a patient myself it’s very concerning to think about how my personal information might not be as protected as I once thought.

Why are healthcare organizations falling behind when it comes to implementing authorization?

There are many reasons healthcare organizations lag behind when it comes to authorization, including:

• Complexity of authorization needs: Healthcare involves diverse stakeholders (patients, providers, insurers, researchers, etc.) and nuanced data-sharing requirements. Crafting policies that satisfy all parties while ensuring privacy can be daunting.
• Focus on perimeter security: Historically, many organizations have prioritized firewalls and network security over internal access controls, leaving sensitive data vulnerable to insider threats.
• Regulatory overwhelm: While healthcare providers are aware of regulations like HIPAA, and often lack the resources to implement solutions that address compliance holistically.

Let’s dive into how healthcare organizations can arm themselves against these issues with policy-driven authorization.

Granular patient access

By implementing attribute-based access control (ABAC), healthcare organizations can establish precise, context-aware policies that restrict access to sensitive patient information. This ensures that only authorized personnel can view records under clearly defined conditions.

ABAC policies operate by considering a combination of attributes such as: role (nurse, doctor, admin), location (stroke unit, emergency room), and time (during shift hours).

For example, a nurse working in the stroke unit might only access the files of patients they’re directly treating, and only during their assigned shift. This ensures that caregivers can access the information they need to provide quality care without exposing other sensitive data unnecessarily.

This approach eliminates the need to rely on an individual’s moral compass and avoids the misuse of access. Furthermore, it mitigates the risk of insider threats by embedding policies that automatically enforce privacy and compliance standards.

To add even more security, there is an audit trail that captures a full view of the access requests. Compliance officers can export these logs to generate monthly reports, demonstrating adherence to regulatory requirements and identifying any anomalies before they escalate into larger issues.

Relation-based access

ABAC goes a step further by allowing providers to define policies based on relationships. This ensures that staff members can’t access the patient files of their immediate family, close friends, or even VIP patients unless they are directly involved in their care. It also minimizes the chances of intentional or accidental privacy breaches.

An example of policy that could be implemented to enforce this use case is:

• Healthcare employees with a relationship to the patient cannot access their files.

Other use cases

These aren’t the only situations where healthcare organizations should use authorization to help protect their patients’ information. Some other use cases for policy-driven authorization, include:

VIP patients

As mentioned above, celebrities, politicians, or high-profile individuals often require extra layers of protection for their medical data. Policies can be implemented to restrict access to VIP files, allowing only specific personnel with a “need to know” clearance.

Self-service for patients

With ABAC, patients can securely manage their data — access medical records, update details, and schedule appointments — while adhering to privacy requirements.

Break-the-glass scenarios

In emergencies, policies can allow staff to override standard restrictions temporarily while still maintaining oversight. For example, if a patient is unconscious, ER personnel might need immediate access to their full medical history. These scenarios balance accessibility with accountability, ensuring that necessary access is available while deterring misuse.

Modernize your authorization practices to protect patient data

Policy-driven authorization solutions provide healthcare organizations with the tools to enforce fine-grained access controls that adapt to real-world needs. From ensuring caregivers access only what they need to safeguarding VIPs and enabling patient self-service, ABAC offers a pathway to stronger security, improved compliance, and enhanced privacy for everyone involved.

Want to gain more insight on how policy-driven authorization can keep your patient data and intellectual property (IP) secure while meeting compliance standards? Watch our webinar where we walk through each of these use cases or request a demo with our team to talk about your organization’s specific use case.