3rd Party Risk Management , Governance & Risk Management , Healthcare
Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Collaboration Is Key
American Hospital Association's John Riggi on Overcoming Cybersecurity Barriers
Most hospitals prioritize cybersecurity but often lack the necessary resources, including personnel and technology, to fully comply with these goals. The question then becomes not about the practices, but the potential barriers to implementation, said John Riggi, national adviser for cybersecurity and risk, American Hospital Association, AHA.
See Also: Alleviating Compliance Pain Points in the Cloud Era
The AHA cautions against imposing financial penalties on hospitals that fail to meet cybersecurity standards due to resource constraints. Riggi argued that collaboration, such as recent programs by tech giants such as Microsoft and Google, can help to bridge resource gaps, including financial and technical support, through initiatives such as nonprofit pricing for healthcare institutions.
"Applying minimum mandatory standards to hospitals alone will not help secure the entire healthcare sector," he said. "The standards, if they're coming, should apply to every entity in the healthcare sector that does business or that deals with hospitals - if we truly want to make a difference."
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at the 2024 Healthcare Cybersecurity Summit, Riggi also discussed:
- How the AHA is working with the federal government to ensure cybersecurity in healthcare sector;
- Geopolitical cyberthreats targeting the healthcare sector and how hospitals can bolster defenses;
- Strategies for ensuring clinical and business continuity amid potential cyberattacks.
Riggi previously served in the FBI for 30 years in a variety of leadership roles, including representative to the White House Cyber Response Group. He also served as a senior representative to the CIA, working as the national operations manager for terrorist financing investigations.
