One cyberattack can mean the difference between life and death.
Every week, another headline exposes the terrifying reality that, in today’s digitally driven healthcare environment, cybersecurity failures can delay critical treatments, compromise medical accuracy and disrupt life-saving procedures. To protect their patients and ensure care continuity, healthcare organizations must act now by creating strategic, industry-specific collaborations to fortify defenses and guard patient safety.
Ransomware and data breaches: A direct threat to patient safety
Cyberattacks on healthcare systems aren’t merely financial inconveniences. Recent real-world examples underscore the direct impact of attacks on patient safety:
Scripps Health attack (2021): In 2021, the Scripps Health ransomware attack forced a major nonprofit healthcare provider in California to shut down its systems across five hospitals and 19 outpatient clinics for nearly a month. The attack severely impacted patient care, diverting ambulances, delaying essential treatments and forcing a temporary transition to paper records. Also, 147,000 patient records were compromised.
Ascension Health attack (2024): In May 2024, Ascension Health, one of the largest U.S. healthcare systems, suffered a ransomware attack that severely disrupted hospital operations across multiple states. The attack compromised personal information from nearly 5.6 million individuals, including medical records, lab tests and insurance information. Hospitals had to divert emergency medical services, delay surgeries and revert to manual documentation processes, leading to massive disruptions.
Change Healthcare attack (2024): The Change Healthcare ransomware attack in 2024 paralyzed the U.S. healthcare system, disrupting payment processing and insurance claims for providers nationwide.
Because Change Healthcare handled 40% of all U.S. insurance claims, hospitals, pharmacies and physician offices faced serious financial impacts and lost about $100 million per day in delayed reimbursements. The repercussions went beyond financial losses; the inability to process claims in real time delayed patient access to essential treatments, including prescription medications and critical medical procedures, compromising patient safety and care continuity.
Investigations revealed that attackers exploited a lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) on a remote access portal. A healthcare-specific security approach could have prevented this fundamental cybersecurity oversight.
Patient safety demands a tailored cybersecurity approach
Traditional managed security service providers (MSSPs) often standardize people, processes and technology across industries. However, because healthcare’s primary mission is patient safety, healthcare organizations must adopt tailored cybersecurity solutions that combine cybersecurity and healthcare expertise.
Traditional, one-size-fits-all cybersecurity models do not account for the unique challenges of healthcare, including:
- Interconnected medical devices: Compromised Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices can lead to inaccurate diagnoses or treatment delays.
- Complex workflows: Healthcare staff depend on seamless access to digital systems. Downtime or restricted access can hinder timely decision-making, impacting patient safety.
- Data sensitivity and privacy: Beyond financial penalties, breaches of personal health information can erode patient trust and safety.
Building a resilient defense through strategic collaboration
Healthcare organizations should engage in strategic, industry-specific collaborations with cybersecurity vendors to protect patient safety. These collaborations require a proactive, comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that includes:
- Threat intelligence networks: Collaborate with organizations like the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (H-ISAC) for real-time threat intelligence sharing. This collaboration enhances situational awareness and accelerates incident response.
- Customized incident response plans: Develop response frameworks prioritizing patient safety and care continuity rather than restoring IT systems.
- Continuous staff training: Ensure healthcare staff have the training to recognize and respond to cybersecurity threats, maintaining patient safety as the top priority.
- Regular audits and stress tests: Conduct proactive vulnerability assessments to anticipate and mitigate potential threats before they impact patient safety.
Cybersecurity as a pillar of patient safety
The intersection of cybersecurity and patient safety is crucial when it comes to healthcare. Generic security models designed for other industries fail to address the unique challenges of healthcare.
By building strategic alliances, implementing tailored cybersecurity playbooks and maintaining a vigilant, patient-focused defense, healthcare organizations can enhance their resilience against cyber threats.
Read this full article about the best strategies to strengthen healthcare security while safeguarding patient care.