Every year in 24×7’s annual job compensation and satisfaction survey, healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals tell us that medical device cybersecurity is the issue that disturbs their sleep most. It’s a statement echoed by the nonprofit agency ECRI, which named cybersecurity the top health technology hazard of 2022. Although most patients aren’t aware of this fact, medical devices are extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks, and 2021 marked the first time a hospital cyberattack directly led to a patient’s death.
Kevin Fu, acting director of medical device cybersecurity at the U.S. FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, says it’s the indirect result of a cyber-insecure device that can be the most devastating. “The greatest cybersecurity risk today is unavailability, because a medical device unavailable to deliver patient care is not safe and effective,” according to Fu.
That’s why knowledge is key. In this e-book, which features four exclusive articles ranging from a full-length feature article to a Q&A with some of the top luminaries in medical device cybersecurity, HTM professionals will learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted medical device security and why now is the time to prioritize safety. After all, patients’ lives depend on it.
