Why the Cyberattack on Ascension Scared 5 Hospital Execs & How They're Responding
MedCity News
|
Contributed by: Drex DeFord
Summary
The article discusses the rising cybersecurity threats in the healthcare sector, highlighting major incidents like the cyberattack on Optum’s Change Healthcare unit, which impacted 85 million patient records, and the attack on Ascension, which caused significant operational disruptions. These breaches are not only costly, with the healthcare industry facing the highest average breach costs for over a decade, but they also compel healthcare providers to prioritize cybersecurity. Executives from various health systems, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Yale New Haven Health, CommonSpirit Health, Allegheny Health Network, and UPMC, emphasize the increasing sophistication of cyber threats and the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures. They argue for more investment in cybersecurity, better management of third-party risks, extensive staff training on cyber hygiene, and potential government assistance to bolster defenses against cyberattacks.
