4 Ways Microsoft Entra ID Secures Health IT Environments

2. Requires Multifactor Authentication to Strengthen Security

Compton says he encourages all of his customers, not just healthcare clients, to use multifactor authentication. Every Entra ID user has a password but also uses a passcode sent to a mobile device or a fingerprint to ensure stronger security.

“We never set up Entra ID without multifactor authentication. Passwords are inherently weak and have been for a while. They are really falling out of favor, certainly from a security perspective,” Compton says.

The added layers of authentication make users identify key indicators including who they are, what they know and where they are. Biometric authentication, including fingerprints and face recognition, verify users in the safest way possible, Compton says.

“There’s a whole industry movement, whether it’s the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Microsoft or Google, that is pushing toward passwordless authentication. It works like using face recognition on your smartphone to be able to unlock access to all of the various applications that you have,” he says.

3. Enables Integration with Several Hardware and Software Solutions

Entra ID has a directory of verifiable credentials, and includes many international, national and healthcare-specific standards and certifications that help the program connect to a variety of software and hardware solutions.

Compton says there are thousands of healthcare applications, and the integration relies on standards.

“Modern apps that are web-based are great partners with Entra ID. There are thousands of healthcare applications, and the thing that’s nice about these cloud-based services is that deploying them is pretty simple,” he says. “Entra ID can provide authentication for thousands of Software as a Service applications, including any organization’s internal web-based applications.”

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4. Provides Increased Security for Flexible Healthcare Workplaces

Whether employees are working in the office, a remote setting or a fast-paced hospital, having a single sign-on option through Entra ID allows for efficiency in the workplace, Compton says.

“Single sign-on means that once someone has signed into their device, they can open and access any of the applications they use and never be prompted,” Compton says.

When employees work from home or in a hybrid setup, having Entra ID is more secure for all users, especially when sensitive patient data is being processed, Compton says.

“Doctors can work from home at night, writing patient records or making updates,” he says. “Entra ID ensures that they can work in a more secure manner versus just giving them a laptop and VPN.”

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