Enterprise Cybersecurity: Building a Successful Defense Program

Front Health Serv Manage. 2018 Fall;35(1):13-22. doi: 10.1097/HAP.0000000000000037.

Abstract

Cybersecurity is no longer an option or an afterthought-it is a strategic asset that every organization must address, especially in healthcare. The impact of modern cyberattacks extends well beyond privacy breaches and damage to brand or reputation; it can also affect the safe delivery of care. In 2017, a global security incident affected National Health Service hospitals in England and Scotland, preventing them from providing services to patients and causing thousands of appointments to be canceled. Such serious cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent, and their impact has dramatically changed from impeding back-office operations to threatening patient safety and the financial viability of healthcare organizations. This era of increased cybersecurity risks has compelled successful organizations to rapidly adapt their information security strategies and develop world-class cyber defense programs.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Security*
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Organizations
  • Privacy*