The current state of cybersecurity in the connected hospital

Abbott and The Chertoff Group released a white paper that shares key findings from a recent study of 300 physicians and 100 hospital administrators on cybersecurity challenges in the hospital environment.

Results found that while physicians and hospital administrators view cybersecurity as a priority, the majority of them feel underprepared to combat cyber risks in the connected hospital.

“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility across all of us working in today’s healthcare system,” said Chris Tyberg, Divisional Vice President, Product Security, Abbott. “Hospitals are critical hubs within this system, and as the use of advanced medical technology and attention to cybersecurity and connected health increases, it is important for us to understand the challenges hospitals face and how we can collaborate on potential solutions.”

The survey revealed several key findings, including:

• Cybersecurity is a priority in today’s connected hospital: 92% of physicians and 91% of hospital administrators say that keeping patient and hospital data secure is a focus of their hospital.
• Physicians and hospital administrators feel underprepared to combat cyber risks: 75% of physicians and 62% of hospital administrators feel inadequately trained or prepared to mitigate cyber risks that may impact their hospital.
• Physicians and hospital administrators view medical device cybersecurity as a shared responsibility: 71% of physicians and 74% of hospital administrators believe cybersecurity is a shared responsibility among all participants in the healthcare system.
• Communication about medical device cyber-related vulnerabilities can improve: Only 15% of physicians and 45% of administrators report having seen or read advisories related to medical device security in the last six months.
• Standards are widely desired: 82% of physicians and 73% of administrators believe there should be industry-wide standards and consistent terminology.

“Today’s cyber risks are constantly evolving, which requires active engagement across the healthcare community to stay informed about the threats targeting Internet-enabled connections and what to do about them,” said Bennet Waters, Principal and Head of Strategic Advisory Services at The Chertoff Group.

“Engagement across all members of the healthcare ecosystem is critical to ensure that the cybersecurity investments being proposed are effective in clinical environments and that proper cyber hygiene is being applied at every level to contain and minimize risk. Working together, this community can ensure that patients continue to receive the benefits of today’s connected medical devices, which means more responsive and effective care.”