How to Protect Your Healthcare Environment With Medical Device Cybersecurity Services

This reward also comes with great responsibility, and learning how to protect your healthcare environment with medical device cybersecurity services is a requirement.

Why Should Protection Be a Priority?

While medical devices improve associates’ abilities to provide patients with the best care possible, protecting these devices needs to be a priority.

When many of these devices first entered the market, cybersecurity was not factored in to the design of the device The Food and Drug Administration approved medical devices based on the fact that the benefits outweighed the risks of improving patient care without focus on network/cybersecurity risks. Medical device connectivity to the Electronic Medical Records through the hospital network enabled clinicians and physicians to make quicker treatment decisions resulting in improved outcomes and decreasing costs.

In 2010, the IEC 80001:1 standard – Application of Risk Management for IT Networks incorporating medical devices was published to assist in minimizing network security risk. However, there is not enough information to assess the effectiveness in managing cybersecurity risks which have increased dramatically as more and more medical devices are connected to the hospital network

How to Protect Your Healthcare Environment with Medical Device Cybersecurity Services

Healthcare professionals continually need to address cybersecurity risks as technology, and breaching devices, continue to evolve. Give your team the tools they need to keep patient records secure with the following focus areas:

• Replace Legacy devices: New equipment can decrease the risk of cybersecurity threats with more protective barriers in place. However, replacing all devices is not always a financially feasible solution for most healthcare institutions due to limited resources
• Upgrade at-risk equipment: If replacing all equipment isn’t an option, it’s best to start with the most at-risk equipment first. Have your Hospital IT department work closely with the HTM department to frequently assess the level of risk and availability of security upgrades for the device.
• Prioritize security protocols: Associates and front-line workers can take steps to minimize risk. Frequently updating passwords and not sharing them with others is one of the many steps in prioritizing security protocols.
• Dedicate resources: Dedicating resources specifically to securing your connected medical devices is vital. The process may include a team of professionals in IT which may include but not limited to network infrastructure, security and enterprise architecture in concert with the HTM department whose sole duty is to identify and address risk. Alternatively, individuals can consider working with Crothall Healthcare as a partner for healthcare organizations for support for medical device security needs.

It’s not always possible to thoroughly remove all risks of a security incident. Instead, the goal is to reduce risk as much as possible.

Get Ahead of Cybersecurity Risk Management

While patient care is at the forefront of a quality healthcare system, the security of patient records is also an important piece. Using Crothall Healthcare’s risk management framework, we have the tools necessary to detect threats, protect patient information, and respond to risks and actual breaches. When you use our integrated team of security professionals to manage your healthcare system’s risk, you can focus on patient care.