How Houston Eye Safeguards Critical Assets and Helps Ensure HIPAA Compliance with Illumio

A Commitment to Innovation and Care

HOUSTON — Houston Eye has been a trusted leader in ophthalmology since 1971. What began as a single clinic founded by a small group of physicians has grown into a network of 19 locations across Texas. Today, the practice includes over 60 doctors specializing in eye care services, from pediatric care and Lasik surgeries to cataract treatments.

Located in Houston, a city renowned for its groundbreaking medical innovations, Houston Eye is driven by its mission: “Providing a lifetime of excellent, compassionate eye care.”

The city of Houston stands out as a global hub for medical expertise. Patients from across the world come here seeking healthcare. They are drawn by the city’s welcoming atmosphere, cutting-edge innovations, and premier medical institutions. The Texas Medical Center — one of the largest medical complexes in the world — anchors this thriving environment.

At the heart of this innovation lies the Texas Medical Center Super Neighborhood, which extends beyond the medical center to include nearby hospitals, research institutions, and vibrant areas like Hermann Park. This hub is home to world-renowned healthcare systems and groundbreaking biotech innovation, making it a medical research and education leader.

The Challenge: Stopping Breaches in Their Tracks

Healthcare faces constant cyberattacks, as CEO Tom Merkle explains: “It’s a top target for ransomware, malware, and other threats.” The team knew perimeter defenses weren’t enough. They needed a solution to stop breaches fast.

“Ransomware is rampant right now,” said Kory Hornberger, Director of IT at Houston Eye. “Instead of just keeping bad actors out, we’re focusing on what happens if they get in. It’s critical that we limit the blast radius and stop them from moving laterally.”

Hornberger continued, “Before Illumio, we realized it’s not a matter of if, but when someone gets in. There are just too many vulnerabilities released every day. Our priority is clear: If someone does breach our network, we need to contain the threat immediately and ensure our patient data — especially sensitive health records — are never compromised.”

HIPAA compliance and protecting electronic health records (EHR) are top priorities. The team also needed visibility and control to protect their network effectively.

Transforming Security with Illumio: Immediate Results

In their search for a solution, Houston Eye found Illumio, a segmentation platform that has become integral to their security strategy.

“The visibility Illumio gave us was a game-changer,” Hornberger said. “With a single, intuitive dashboard, we have complete visibility into how data flows. Securing our network is simple now.”

He added, “Illumio’s ease of use and powerful capabilities make it an essential solution for a healthcare organization serious about protecting patient data.”

With Illumio in place, Hornberger’s team secured 1,100 endpoints and quickly segmented critical systems like the EHR and practice management platforms from the rest of the network. They completed the deployment and policy creation using PowerShell scripts, streamlining the process.

“Illumio gives me peace of mind,” Hornberger said. “If a bad actor gets in, they are stopped in their tracks. We’re no longer worried about threats moving laterally across our network. Illumio keeps our patient data safe and our operations running smoothly.”

Results and Benefits

Since deploying Illumio, Houston Eye has achieved:

• Rapid Data Protection: Patient data is safe from ransomware and malware.
  
  
• Simplified Security: Easy deployment of streamlined IT workflows.
  
  
• Regulatory Assurance: HIPAA and regulatory compliance.
  
  
• Cyber Resilience: Strengthened defenses to prevent, contain, and recover from cyber threats.

“Illumio has transformed our ability to protect patient data and comply with HIPAA. The visibility and control it gives us is invaluable.” — Kory Hornberger, Director of IT, Houston Eye