In 2024, healthcare data breaches affected over 276 million records, a 64.1% increase from the previous year and impacting 81.38% of the U.S. population. A report by Cybernews Business Digital Index reveals significant shortcomings in cybersecurity among major U.S. hospitals, with 79% receiving D grades or worse in assessments. The report indicates that 65% of the top 100 hospitals have faced data breaches, while 30% show critical vulnerabilities. Overall, 45% are categorized as high risk, and only 5% achieved an A score, with an average security score of 72 out of 100. Key security issues include inadequacies in SSL/TLS configurations, essential for safeguarding sensitive patient data.

Healthcare Data Breaches Surge 64% in 2024, Exposing Millions to Risk GlobeNewswire

University Hospitals in Cleveland is expanding its hybrid virtual nursing model to two emergency departments and an entire hospital, allowing nurses to provide bedside care while utilizing a remote care hub. This initiative aims to improve team-based care by incorporating virtual capabilities across all hospital units, enabling greater involvement from nursing staff, providers, and family in patient care, according to CNIO Jennifer Carpenter. The expansion follows positive feedback from initial implementations, which showed increased patient and caregiver engagement. As the health system moves forward, it will monitor safety metrics and contribute to the growing trend of virtual care in hospitals, although it acknowledges that solutions may vary across different settings.

University Hospitals Expands Innovative Hybrid Virtual Nursing Model to Enhance Care Becker's Hospital Review

CIOs and CISOs in healthcare are addressing the fallout from breaches involving Oracle Health's Cerner Legacy servers, which have compromised patient data. Although Oracle has not confirmed the breaches, sources indicate hackers targeted these outdated systems, which still hold sensitive information yet to be migrated to the cloud. The lack of transparency from Oracle has raised concerns, especially as the full extent of the breach remains unreported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Experts like Scott Mattila emphasize the risks of legacy systems, which are appealing to cybercriminals due to weak security. Healthcare leaders are encouraged to activate incident response plans, enhance monitoring for unusual activities, and strengthen access management as they navigate these cybersecurity challenges.

Healthcare CIOs and CISOs Face Urgent Cybersecurity Crisis Amid Oracle Breaches InformationWeek

Sharp HealthCare's newly launched VIP (Virtual InPatient) experience enhances patient engagement by integrating virtual nurses into the care team, especially in the neuroscience unit. This initiative, developed with input from various stakeholders, aims to provide a concierge-like approach to healthcare, ensuring patients feel monitored and supported throughout their journey. Since its launch in April 2024, the program has expanded to all four of Sharp's hospitals, operating daily to help streamline admissions and discharges while addressing hospital capacity. However, proving a clear return on investment remains a challenge for the program.

Sharp HealthCare Launches VIP Experience to Revolutionize Patient Engagement HealthLeaders