Contact: media@bannerhealth.com

PHOENIX (Oct. 25, 2019) – More than 30 Girl Scouts from across Phoenix were taught how Banner Health Information Security teams work around the clock to ensure patient health information is always protected.

"These girls can learn and have a hands-on firsthand look at what information security is and why it is important to them," said Beth Loewen, an Information Security Business Operations Director at Banner Health.

The Girl Scouts participated in a "phishing" exercise, where they captured plastic fish from a pond. Each fish was labeled with words that are generally used in a hacker’s email. The young scouts also learned ways experts decode encrypted data and track down hacking attempts using information technology (IT) forensics.

Federal law such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), require all health care employees, including those at Banner Health, to protect patient health information at all times.

"[We are] teaching them in a hospital environment how people need to secure their workstations because devious people can come in, sit at somebody’s workstation and have access to patient care information," said Barb Esposito, Information Security Operations Director at Banner Health.

Upon completion of the course, each Girl Scout earned three badges for the knowledge they gained about information security. Banner Health plans to make the engaging experience an annual event.

Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services; including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com.

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