Healthcare is an Industry of Change, Are You Prepared?

Many people have said that there has been more change now than ever before within the healthcare industry. However, if one reviews history, healthcare has been this way for decades. One thing we’ve counted on is that this is an industry of change. There are constant regulatory updates and new trends and advancements. Organizations must have the tools and resources to effectively manage the constantly evolving landscape from a technology perspective and a staffing perspective. Change is good and offers job security!

When it comes to managing change and systems, security-related issues can often keep CIOs up at night. In fact, in a recent survey of 245 healthcare IT executives, 43% of IT leaders say keeping information secure is their top challenge. There is a lot at stake for everyone across the company. Not only is there a risk of cybercriminals gaining access to sensitive information if there is a security breach, but an organization may also face hefty fines, and its board members could have personal liability. It takes ongoing training to help people at all levels of an organization understand the importance of remaining diligent.

IT teams should always be looking for ways to continually improve security protocols and policies. Phishing attacks still account for a high volume of security incidents.

Regular phishing tests are a proven means of providing ongoing training to change behavior. Even poor results from phishing exercises provide awareness of where supplemental training may be necessary. Approaching training from the perspective of protecting not only company assets but also personal assets at home helps reinforce learning and change behavior, enabling employees to see a tangible personal benefit.

From a personnel perspective, there is significant competition for qualified candidates and employees, and security professionals are certainly in high demand. The loss of a key security expert can be devastating. Turnover can negatively affect a team, and recruitment and training each new hire can be costly. CIOs and other technology leaders must not lose sight of the importance of employee retention.

Even with the most sophisticated technology, no organization should bank on its security being impermeable. It is often stated – “it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.” There will be incidents, so it’s crucial to have the right protections in place and the ability to react, respond, and resolve quickly and effectively.