Throughout this third week of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we will delve into a very applicable topic for us here at NEOMED, the health care industry and telehealth, exploring the implications of internet-connected device use, and what steps can be taken to #BeCyberSmart.
The health care industry is increasingly reliant upon internet-connected devices and solutions to improve patient care, organizational efficiency, speed of crisis response, and much more. The emergence of telemedicine, digital health records, internet-connected medical devices, patient wellness apps, and an increasing amount of third parties entering the health care supply chain has created many benefits but has also exposed the industry to vulnerabilities that cyber criminals regularly attempt to exploit.
While it is necessary to ensure that all devices all secure, this is especially true of “smart” medical devices as cybersecurity gaps in these devices can be a matter of life and death. Smart pacemakers, defibrillators, blood refrigeration units, insulin pumps, CT scanners, and other devices can all be compromised and tampered with, putting not only data, but also lives at risk.
Throughout this week on The Pulse, we will highlight the ways in which the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) are affecting health care, the use and considerations of telehealth, as well as the impacts of phishing, ransomware, and malware on the health care industry.
-Submitted by Jonathan Wagner