How can you build a better practice with data protection

In today’s fast-paced digital world, backing up your data is essential. Did you know you could cripple your business if you lose important practice information because of natural disaster, human error, theft, or other scenarios? A secure data backup gives you peace of mind and lets you protect and restore your valuable practice data in the worst-case scenario.

Backing up your practice data doesn’t need to be complicated. There are many backup options available that are flexible and customizable for your practice’s needs.

Key steps to follow for an effective data backup

Identify backup needs

Find out what data and information your business must access for routine operations. A good rule of thumb is to back up all data that would cause problems in your practice if it were no longer available. This could include, but is not limited to, client and patient records, emails, invoices, documents, and payment information.

Consider potential risks to data

Knowing the potential causes of data loss in your practice will help you determine your backup requirements. The most common causes of data loss are human error, staff training, automatic solutions, and regular upgrades. Data protection policies can help reduce these risks. Unfortunately, cybersecurity threats are an increasing occurrence, and many have malicious intent. Natural disasters, too, can cause extreme damage.

Schedule automated backups to ensure the job gets done

Scheduling automated data backups is common practice and ensures backups are not forgotten in the daily bustle. Most automatic backups can happen in the background and don’t disrupt your workflow. The most effective way to do this is through installed software that can automatically back up and upload your valuable practice data.

Use encryption for stronger protection

Backup files should be encrypted to protect your data and ensure it is stored securely. Encryption removes the risk of further cybersecurity threats and unauthorized access from other users.

Determine backup frequency

Backups should occur frequently, but exactly how often will depend on your practice. If you have a large clientele with high turnover, you will generate new data more frequently than a small-town practice with a static population. This means you should run your backups more frequently, potentially daily rather than weekly. Also, if your practice is in an area prone to storms and other natural disasters, such as flooding and earthquakes, it’s also best to run a backup more frequently.

Consider hybrid data storage

Many small and medium businesses have an on-site backup, but relying on this alone is extremely risky. All it takes is an innocent error, theft, cybercrime, or natural disaster and you could lose all your vital practice data. That’s why many veterinary practices are turning to a hybrid model, which combines on-site backups with an offsite data backup in the cloud, thereby reducing the risk of data loss. This way, if one backup fails, you have another in place.

Assign responsibility

Identify someone in your practice to lead and direct your data backup plan. This person doesn’t have to be a data expert, as a data services provider like Covetrus has experts to help guide you through the process. This person needs to have the authority to ensure your data strategy is implemented in your practice.

Test your backup and restoration

Ensure your backup is successful by trying to retrieve stored data. Knowing your data is safe and retrievable will give you peace of mind. And become familiar with the recovery process to get your business up and running again if your data is compromised.

Have everyone on the same page

Educate employees on the importance of backing up data (and being able to restore it quickly and easily) and ensure they know the correct procedures to follow. A practice-wide data protection policy can help set standards and procedures to follow to minimize threats.

What does this mean for my practice?

With a data backup, your practice is protected from common causes of data loss. It also puts you in a much better position to recover if a significant compromise to your practice information happens.

While equipment and property can be insured, during a disaster your practice data can be lost beyond recovery. The permanent loss of any data can cause major disruptions, financial loss, and inconvenience for your practice and your clients. Data backups ensure your information is organized, protected, and stored securely.