Healthcare is among the industries at the forefront of embracing digital transformation through the adoption of telemedicine services. This mirrors the advancements made by digital banks, ride-hailing apps, food delivery services, and various others. Today, the capability to manage healthcare tasks is literally at your fingertips through telemedicine services, seamlessly integrated into delivery, banking, and insurance offerings. This integration results in a more convenient and accessible approach to meeting your healthcare requirements.
Nevertheless, there is always room for fraudsters to engage in illicit activities, particularly identity fraud, in this digitalized era. Telemedicine, as an industry, is not immune to such risks and can serve as a fertile ground for fraudulent operations, with identity fraud being a prominent concern. It is of utmost importance to establish robust identity verification procedures to ensure that unauthorized individuals cannot gain access to sensitive medical information or exploit services associated with telemedicine accounts. This article delves into the potential occurrences of identity fraud in telemedicine and offers insights into preventive measures.
A Short Introduction to Telemedicine
Telemedicine services enable patients to consult doctors or healthcare professionals, receive prescriptions, and buy medication without having to be physically present during the process. Telemedicine started with simple telephone-based services in the 1950s and developed into a fully digital system in the late 2010s utilizing on-demand text messages and integration with another service. The telemedicine industry grew exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic when visits to hospitals and clinics were discouraged except in emergencies.
According to a report titled ‘Telemedicine Applications Have the Potential to Revolutionize Healthcare Services in Indonesia’ by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, telemedicine usage in Indonesia surged by 600% in 2020. Although hospitals have reopened, telemedicine remains favored for its convenience and reach to more rural areas of Indonesia with fewer clinics and hospitals. Telemedicine is also highly rated, with more than 70% of users reporting a positive experience.
How Can Identity Fraud Happen in Telemedicine?
Telemedicine platforms require personal information like names, addresses, and insurance details to create accounts. The data can be stolen via phishing, breaches, or malware. Fraudsters then access accounts and sensitive medical information for identity theft.
They may fabricate themselves as patients to obtain services and prescription drugs or bill insurance companies. Synthetic identities using fake, forged data also enable similar fraud. Reason telemedicine is prone to such cyber fraud:
- Reliance on personal information. Several telemedicine platforms require patients to present their personal information, such as their name, address, date of birth, and insurance or banking information.
- Availability of sensitive medical data. Data such as medical records, conversations with doctors, and prescription information are accessible for fraudsters to use as blackmail or to receive drugs without proper prescription.
- Insufficient protection against cybercriminals. Online telemedicine platforms may not have the appropriate protection measures against cybercriminals.
The Threatening Fallout: Why Telemedicine Fraud Matters to Business
Although until now, there has been no significant amount of telemedicine cases publicized, this fraud may pose bad risks to healthcare businesses, including:
- Financial losses: Fraudulent claims and services can cost insurers and healthcare providers millions in unpaid costs and lost revenue.
- Reputation damage: Publicity around major identity fraud cases or data breaches can severely hurt consumer trust and damage the brand reputations of telemedicine companies, resulting in lost business and falling share prices.
- Regulatory issues: Negligence related to medical identity theft opens up businesses to substantial compliance fines, regulatory restrictions, and potential lawsuits. Tighter rules may be imposed around security and privacy policies if issues become systemic.
- Patient safety risks: Criminals use stolen patient information to acquire drugs illegally, which impedes accurate record-keeping regarding patient medical histories and allergies.
What Can We Do About It Then?
Implementing a proper identity verification system is the most optimal choice for telemedicine providers. Protecting customer data from potential fraudsters should be prioritized. Here are some options that you can implement:
- True Identity Assurance. This system is a security measure against fraudsters using stolen identities to open new accounts. The liveness detection feature prevents spoofing attempts by detecting live pictures from fraudulent images.
- Digital Trust Solution. This powerful solution ensures secure and compliant online interactions, ideal for both personal and business use in the rapidly growing telehealth industry. Digital Trust Solution is a highly advanced digital certificate, officially recognized by Indonesia’s Ministry of Information Technology and Communications as a trusted Root Certificate Authority.
- Authentic Presence Assurance. This system helps improve security in online interaction and transactions for the insurance or banking industry. The cutting-edge biometric features in it make it difficult for fraudsters to fake. This system replaces the old way of authentication like PINs or passwords.
As a user, it is also crucial to make sure that you are using credible and reputable telemedicine platforms. Never click on suspicious links or give out your personal information to suspicious websites posing as legitimate ones. Enabling multi-factor authentication can also help further protect your account.
Your Health and Identity are Equally Important
In the rapidly evolving telehealth landscape, safeguarding digital identities is no longer an option, it’s a necessity. With ASLI RI’s comprehensive digital solutions, you can protect your users from digital fraud and ensure secure and compliant online interactions. Embrace the future of secure telehealth today. Contact us to learn more about our digital solutions and request a product demo.
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Last modified: January 23, 2024
