Episode 2

Security is not a product. It is a process. In this quick tip episode, Brandon Seigel shares a practical seven-step daily security checklist that takes just 15 minutes and can protect everything your practice has built.

Brandon begins with a sobering truth: healthcare practices are prime targets for cybercriminals because they hold medical, financial, and personal data in one place. According to the 2025 IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report, healthcare has the highest average breach cost of any industry. Human error is consistently the most common point of failure.

Step one is scanning for suspicious emails each morning. Brandon checks spam, blocked mail, and his inbox for unusual requests: unexpected password resets, strange attachments, and links from familiar contacts behaving oddly. Step two is confirming staff access. Former employees whose credentials were never revoked are a persistent vulnerability. Brandon cross-checks active accounts in his EMR, billing portals, and Google Workspace regularly.

Steps three and four cover backup verification and system updates. Confirming that automated backups completed successfully and that all software is current takes only a few minutes but protects against ransomware scenarios where recent data would otherwise be unrecoverable.

Steps five and six involve reviewing banking alerts and checking security dashboards from tools like Malwarebytes or Microsoft 365 admin alerts. Brandon keeps all credit locked down and monitors payment alerts in real time.

The seventh step is reinforcing security culture. Brandon notifies his HR director every time he receives a fake employee email requesting direct deposit changes. Culture is the ultimate security system. When every team member treats security as their responsibility, the practice becomes exponentially harder to compromise.

Key Takeaways

• Scan suspicious emails daily, including spam, to understand what is actively targeting your practice
• Audit staff access regularly. Revoked credentials are one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities
• Verify backups are completing successfully and confirm all software is fully updated
• Monitor banking and payment alerts in real time. Small test charges often precede larger fraud
• Make security a team culture. Report, reinforce, and reward vigilance

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."  -- Thomas Jefferson

Ready to take your practice to the next level? Contact Wellness Works Management Partners today.