Las Vegas – One year into the five-year health industry cybersecurity strategic plan, the Cyberworking Group of the Coordination Council of Healthcare and Public Health is looking for more healthcare industry in the healthcare industry, chairing the CWG Executive Committee.
“We live in a world where technology changes over a few hours or overnight,” and rapidly expands security threats.
The HSCC CWG previously created 28 free resources aimed at helping healthcare organisations of all sizes improve cyberresilience and reduce patient safety, data privacy and risks to care operations. People in the healthcare industry are very committed to these resources and do a great job, but their action plans are driven more globally, explained Tyberg.
“Is that really trying to make use of it more, really mobilize this community and get everyone to take action?” he said.
“If we don't take action and don't do what's going forward, I'm sitting here in 2030 and saying we're not better than today.”
Tyberg highlighted four key pillars of the HSCC, centering on the concept that cyber safety is patient safety.
The first concept of access to healthcare also applies to cybersecurity.
“People should have access to healthcare. No matter where they live, who they are, regardless of their socioeconomic status, they deserve access to healthcare,” he said.
“We need to ensure that everyone has access to the resources they need to protect their organization.”
After Tyberg asked for a hand show, it was clear that of the 400 participants on the Cybersecurity Forum, there were no small sized healthcare provider organizations (less than 100 beds) in the room.
“We need to find ways to get to those organizations,” he said.
In that trend, the CWG made more hand meetings available in more cities across the country to increase participation. There are over 12 plans this year.
The second pillar is the healthcare cybersecurity workforce, according to Tyberg, who announced the new HSCC academic partnership.
HSCC is looking for sponsors for various student and institutional engagement programs to launch the next generation of cyber defenders. The planned new program will allow technology students and graduates to select healthcare sectors for future employment.
“The second year program is actually a very overlooked field as a source of great talent,” he said.
“Abbott has partnered with a two-year program and has the incredible talent that has come out of the schools we support in our organization,” he said.
The third pillar, the community, is working towards mutual aid. Concepts borrowed from other important industries such as public safety and power generation are consistent with objective 12 of the CWG's five-year strategic plan.
“They can make a call saying, 'We need help' and other organizations can answer that call,” Tyberg said.
But, while it's a surprising idea, he noted, there are obvious challenges.
“There are challenges we need to work on, but that's something we need to pursue,” he said. He said the concept of mutual aid could be a major benefit to the workforce.
“This is an opportunity to train and develop new skills in the workforce.”
The fourth pillar discussed is Tyberg.
Investing in innovative cybersecurity technologies is key to extending cybersecurity protection to small and medium-sized healthcare providers.
“New technologies, innovations, can be part of the answers to help them respond and help them expand,” he said.
“We want to invest in this and continue to explore ways to help us leverage innovation and prepare ourselves better as a sector.”
Andrea Fox is a senior editor at Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
