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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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