Third-Place Risks in Healthcare IT: Protecting Patient Data Outside the Building

Healthcare work doesn’t always happen inside the clinic. Providers work from home, administrators log in remotely, and on-call staff answer urgent questions from wherever they are.

But patient data doesn’t care where you’re sitting. Whether it’s a clinic, a home office, or a coffee shop, the risk follows the login.

What Is a “Third-Place” Risk?

A “third place” is any location outside your main healthcare facility, such as:

• Home offices

• Coffee shops

• Shared workspaces

• Personal devices used for work

These environments are convenient—but they’re often less secure.

Why Healthcare Is Especially Vulnerable

Healthcare data is highly valuable and heavily regulated. Remote access can expose systems to:

• Unsecured Wi-Fi networks

• Shared or personal devices

• Shoulder surfing and screen exposure

• Lost or stolen laptops and phones

HIPAA doesn’t take a break just because someone is working remotely.

Common Third-Place Mistakes

Many healthcare organizations run into trouble by:

• Allowing remote access without added security

• Skipping device encryption

• Relying on basic passwords

• Assuming “it’s only temporary”

Temporary setups have a habit of becoming permanent risks.

How Third-Place Risks Impact Patient Care

A single security issue outside the building can lead to:

• Data exposure

• Compliance violations

• System shutdowns

• Distrust from patients

And once systems are locked down or investigated, care slows for everyone.

How to Reduce Third-Place Risk Without Limiting Flexibility

Healthcare organizations can stay secure while supporting remote work by using:

• Secure VPN access

• Multi-factor authentication

• Encrypted devices

• Clear remote work policies

Security should follow the user—not the location.

Training Matters More Than You Think

Even the best tools won’t help if staff don’t know what to watch for. Simple training helps teams:

• Spot risky connections

• Avoid unsafe networks

• Protect screens and devices

• Know when to report concerns

A little awareness goes a long way.

Secure Access Wherever Care Happens

Healthcare work is mobile. Your security strategy should be too. Protecting patient data outside the building is just as important as protecting it inside.

When security travels with your staff, care stays uninterrupted—and compliance stays intact.

Keep Patient Data Safe Everywhere

Remote and hybrid work are here to stay in healthcare. The key is making sure flexibility doesn’t turn into risk.

TotalCare IT helps healthcare organizations secure remote access, protect devices, and reduce third-place risks—without slowing down patient care.

 Learn how we protect healthcare IT environments