Risk Management Techniques: Mark Ford of Deloitte

Getting senior executives involved early and making sure they understand the organization's security vulnerabilities are two vital steps in any risk management initiative, says Mark Ford of Deloitte. In an interview, Ford offers advice on how to: Win the support of senior executives as well as boards of directors for risk management investments; Comply with new federal breach notification rules; and Apply encryption based on risk factors. He also predicts the HITECH Act will serve as a catalyst for hospitals to standardize on fewer clinical information systems to help them simplify their security assurance efforts. Ford is principal of security and privacy services in the healthcare provider practice at Deloitte. The former officer in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corp. has 14 years of information security and controls consulting experience.