With more interconnected medical devices being introduced into healthcare facilities—and more threats to that technology emerging in the cyberworld—the way this equipment is purchased, deployed, supported, maintained, and used is more important than ever. So too are the healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals who oversee these activities, serving a crucial role in patient safety and positive healthcare outcomes.

During the AAMI 2018 Conference & Expo, set to take place June 1-4 in Long Beach, Calif., more than 2,000 HTM professionals from across the country and around the world will be discussing how to address many of the top issues facing the field, including ways to bolster their organizations’ cyber defenses.

“Our conference attracts some of the sharpest minds in healthcare technology, all of whom come together with a shared passion to advance the field,” says AAMI President and CEO Robert Jensen. “In Long Beach, HTM professionals will have the opportunity to share ideas with like-minded colleagues, which will foster innovative solutions to current and future challenges—for the ultimate benefit of patients.”

Protecting Against Cyberthreats

With the Orangeworm hacker group deliberately targeting healthcare organizations and a series of federal warnings issued in recent months about the security of medical equipment, bolstering cybersecurity remains a top challenge and priority for HTM professionals.

Further, the AAMI 2018 Conference education lineup covers multiple approaches and barriers to securing connected medical devices, including sessions on:

  • The assumptions, miscommunications, and unspoken expectations of suppliers and facilities that can leave gaps in security management
  • The implications of evolving malware and the prevalence of Bitcoin on medical devices connected to hospital networks
  • The role of artificial intelligence in securing connected medical devices
  • A comprehensive strategy and process one health system used to manage cybersecurity patches and risks for all applicable medical equipment at each of its hospitals
  • A partnership between a leading device manufacturer and its customers that led to a safe, effective, and manageable medical-IT network solution

Addressing Other Challenges

Other sessions will highlight additional pressing issues facing the HTM field, including:

  • The “right to repair” and the FDA’s action on device service.
  • Preparation for accreditation surveys, including a main stage presentation from The Joint Commission’s Kenneth Monroe.
  • The convergence of HTM and IT.

The entire education program is available online.