Hospitals and health systems are navigating a rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape where AI-generated threats and geopolitically motivated attacks are growing more sophisticated by the day.
Yet, many still operate without the robust safeguards and infrastructure necessary to protect sensitive data—leaving both organizations and patients exposed to hackers.
Since October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we thought this was a good opportunity to check in with Anthony Locascio, chief technology officer for Patient Monitoring at Philips, for a conversation about strategies for strengthening cyber defenses.
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HCB News: What are the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing hospitals today, especially in the context of hospital patient monitoring technology?
Anthony Locascio:Today’s hospitals and health systems are navigating a rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, where AI-generated threats and geopolitically motivated attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. While many healthcare organizations believe their IT strategies are strong, what they often overlook is the importance of basic “cyber hygiene,” such as patch management and network isolation, as it pertains to medical devices.
The lack of strong cybersecurity measures is especially risky for patient monitoring devices, which can share IT services within hospitals but tend to run on outdated systems due to long product lifecycles, making them highly vulnerable to exploitation. Keeping these devices online and clinically available 24/7 adds complexity, making the downtime required for updates difficult to accommodate without proper planning. Without a unified, proactive cyber defense strategy, even the most advanced healthcare technologies can pose as vulnerabilities to hospitals and their patients.
HCB News: How do cyberattacks impact health systems, particularly involving the quality and safety of patient care?
AL: Cyberattacks can severely disrupt hospital operations and directly threaten patient safety. Ransomware incidents have forced hospitals to divert care to other facilities, shut down operations for weeks at a time, or even close their doors permanently. The financial toll is staggering, with the average breach mitigation costing $9.77 million. When medical devices are disconnected or disabled, the consequences can be life-threatening for patients, especially if they support critical functions like ventilation or patient monitoring.
