working securely from their own computers across the US
install the browser, log in and start seeing patients
deactivate credentials and access stops, no residual data
The situation
A telehealth company is growing rapidly to meet patient demand. Its staffing model uses a network of thousands of contractor clinicians spread across the US, working from home based or private offices. As a healthcare provider, securing sensitive patient data is mission critical. Fast and efficient clinician onboarding is key to scaling the business and keeping up with demand.
The challenge
The organisation initially considered two paths for a secure clinician platform: purchasing, configuring and shipping laptops to clinicians, or Desktop as a Service (DaaS) that clinicians access from their personal computers.
The first option might satisfy their security needs, but was far too costly, slow and labour intensive to meet their growth goals. Supply chain disruptions in the computer industry meant significant delays for new clinicians getting their laptops. That option was not going to work.
The DaaS option might meet some security needs and their onboarding goals, but at a significant cost. The licensing and operational expense of a large DaaS implementation wouldn't fit their cost model, putting pressure on the price point for patients seeking healthcare services. Technically feasible, but not aligned with the goals of the organisation.
As a disruptor to legacy healthcare delivery themselves, the organisation looked for a better option. They chose the Island Enterprise Browser.
The Island solution
The Enterprise Browser offered the fastest onboarding experience for clinicians and delivered all the controls needed to protect patient data. During onboarding, the clinician installs the enterprise browser on their own computer and logs in with their credentials. The browser opens to a customised home screen with immediate access to all the apps they need to see patients and deliver care.
Patient data is safe and secure, with last mile controls that prevent any data leaving the electronic health record system. Printing, screen capture, even copy and paste is disabled when a clinician is interacting with patient data, preventing the loss of protected health information. If a clinician leaves the browser open and steps away, the window automatically locks after two minutes, and all browser data is fully wiped after every session, so prying eyes cannot take advantage of unattended workstations.
The Enterprise Browser provides robust activity logging, without disclosing any patient data, that is critical for supporting a large and dynamic workforce of contractor clinicians. The detailed logs are sent to their SIEM, providing better visibility than the DaaS solution could offer. Offboarding a clinician is simple and immediate: as soon as their credentials are deactivated, their Enterprise Browser access stops. Since no patient data was ever allowed to leave the browser, there is no residual data to clean up.
The decision
The choice for this telehealth company was clear: Island provided a superior solution to DaaS at a significantly lower cost. Choosing Island aligned with their goal of offering healthcare services to patients at a dramatically lower cost than a traditional in person practice. The clinicians enjoy the simplicity and efficiency of working within the Enterprise Browser, and the operations staff who support them get far fewer support calls. With Island, clinicians connect with their patients securely and the technology gets out of the way.