Verizon ramps up healthcare security

Verizon's Universal Identity Services healthcare-based cloud offering allows doctors to access electronic health records and securely sign prescriptions via smartphone or tablet. Now, it's adding identity verification standards for accessing EHRs to increase the security of its data exchange, InformationWeek reports. The move is part of the company's strategy to eliminate identity theft by increasing secure access of health IT. The features were designed to meet the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Level 3 requirements. "Securely and quickly authenticating the digital identity of healthcare professionals is a key foundational element supporting the electronic exchange of healthcare information," said Peter Tippett, Verizon's vice president of industry security, in a release. "By streamlining and strengthening the issuance of health identities, our newly enhanced universal identity service will … act as a catalyst for further transformation of the U.S. healthcare delivery system."  InformationWeek adds that providers will pay anywhere from $15 to $25 for annual service, which includes legally binding signatures and increased credentials for electronic prescribing. MobiHealthNews reports that the identity authentication software is available on iOS, Android and Blackberry devices.