Information security and data protection in medicine

Due to the possibility of (global) networking, the Internet places considerable demands on medicine and related fields in terms of information technology (IT) security and data protection. The contents of electronic health records, including all medical findings, images, and other documents, are covered by patient confidentiality according to data protection legislation and medical law. Many current reports of hacker attacks aimed at components of the health care system highlight the potential danger. The current article presents important objectives, mistakes, and risks in the field of IT, with a focus on routine workflows in practices and hospitals, including practice-relevant security tips.