Technology Category
- Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
- Networks & Connectivity - Gateways
Applicable Industries
- Healthcare & Hospitals
- National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Construction Management
- Tamper Detection
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
PharmaPartners is an independent IT specialist founded 26 years ago in the Netherlands. It is a crucial IT-infrastructure provider within the region’s healthcare industry, delivering a range of highly secure, outsourced IT services that allow doctors and other medical professionals to communicate and cooperate. One of their services, eHealthNet, integrates the disparate online communications networks of different healthcare professionals. Launched in March 2004, this service is now used by more than 2,460 primary healthcare workers, helping provide integrated healthcare to nearly 45 percent of the Dutch population—more than 7 million citizens.
The Challenge
PharmaPartners, a key IT-infrastructure provider in the Netherlands' healthcare industry, faced a significant challenge in improving cooperation among medical professionals. Traditionally, doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and other healthcare professionals worked within regional healthcare groups, each having their own separate online networks. These networks were secure but isolated, leading to little sharing of information with other healthcare professionals in neighboring cooperatives. This lack of information sharing had unintended consequences, such as increased administrative complexity when a patient needed to see a specialist outside their healthcare group. To address this, PharmaPartners developed the eHealth Information Concept, a system that links eHealthcare Groups via a rich GUI and a centralized electronic patient record system. However, this required a more secure network infrastructure, leading to the creation of eHealthNet.
The Solution
PharmaPartners standardized security on Check Point products. For perimeter security at server sites, they chose VPN-1 Power, which provides firewall security and VPN connectivity. All other perimeter security within eHealthNet is covered with UTM-1 Edge appliances, providing secure connectivity for remote sites. This solution allows PharmaPartners to secure every access point to the network quickly and easily. It also enables easy authentication of customer sites on the network via secured, encrypted VPN tunneling from every authorized location. To prioritize medical traffic over other communications, PharmaPartners implemented Check Point technologies to separate and independently secure business and private connections. They also implemented a central eHealthNet Internet gateway to act as a first line of defense. This security solution is built on a VPN-1 Power clustered gateway.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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