Is your patient data secure from breaches and attacks?
At a Glance
- Cybersecurity Is Now Mission-Critical – With over 87 million patients affected by data breaches in 2024 alone, healthcare organizations can no longer treat cybersecurity as an afterthought—it’s a fundamental part of protecting patients and preserving public trust.
- The Threat Landscape Is Evolving Fast – Ransomware, server breaches, and third-party vendor vulnerabilities are growing in scale and complexity, driving up breach costs and exposing healthcare’s weakest links.
- Proactive Defense Starts with Best Practices – High-performing organizations are conducting regular security audits, keeping systems patched, training employees on phishing protection, managing vendors rigorously, and adopting AI-powered threat detection to stop breaches before they happen. audits, system updates, training, vendor management, and advanced security technologies, as embraced by BHS Connect to protect patient data.
- Encryption and Access Controls Are Non-Negotiable – Strong encryption and multi-factor authentication form the bedrock of data security, minimizing damage even if systems are compromised.
- Set the Standard with Trusted Frameworks – Leveraging guidance from NIST, HHS, and HIMSS helps organizations align cybersecurity practices with industry-leading standards—and build the resilience needed to withstand modern threats.
The last few years have been a wake-up call for the healthcare industry. High-profile data breaches, both large in scale and complex in execution, exposed critical vulnerabilities and forced organizations to rethink how they approach cybersecurity. We’ve gone through a season of tough lessons, one that tested the sector’s resilience and set the stage for meaningful changes in data protection.
Through our Release of Information work, BHS Connect partners with leading healthcare organizations across the country. That role gives us unique visibility into how high-performing teams are approaching cybersecurity in real-world settings—what works, what doesn’t, and what’s changing fast.
Hackers have shifted their focus to healthcare network servers and third-party business associates, exposing weaknesses that affected millions. These breaches underscore the urgent need to enhance cybersecurity measures, not just reactively but strategically.
For healthcare organizations, cybersecurity is no longer optional; it’s a critical part of patient care.
The Numbers That Demand Action
- Over 500 data breaches were reported across healthcare organizations in recent years. This relentless wave of attacks reflects a growing trend of adversaries targeting the industry for its valuable and sensitive information.
- 87 million patients were affected in 2024, more than doubling the 37 million impacted the previous year. This surge highlights both the rising sophistication of cyberattacks and the vulnerabilities within healthcare networks.
- Ransomware attacks became increasingly insidious, with attackers combining encryption of critical data with the threat of public exposure to demand even larger payouts. The financial toll was staggering, with the average cost per breach reaching $10.93 million—an all-time high that drains resources and erodes public trust.
- 49 states reported healthcare breaches, revealing the nationwide scope of the problem. California, New York, and Texas were particularly hard-hit, reinforcing their roles as epicenters for healthcare data and, consequently, prime targets for cyberattacks.
These numbers aren’t just statistics; they’re a call to action. For healthcare organizations, cybersecurity is no longer optional; it’s a critical part of patient care. Each breach not only exposes data but also damages the trust patients place in their providers.
Protecting patient data and maintaining trust demand proactive, strategic measures that align with industry standards and emerging threats.
Planning to Lead With Resilience
As we look ahead, healthcare leaders have an opportunity to redefine their approach to cybersecurity. A multi-faceted strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential. Protecting patient data and maintaining trust demand proactive, strategic measures that align with industry standards and emerging threats.
To create a more secure future, organizations must prioritize these best practices:
- Conduct Regular Security Audits
Routine audits are critical for identifying vulnerabilities, evaluating existing measures, and implementing improvements. Leveraging frameworks like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework can provide a structured approach to assessing risks and reinforcing defenses. Another great resource is HealthIT.gov’s Security Risk Assessment Tool. These audits not only address current gaps but also position organizations to adapt to evolving threats.
- Keep Systems Updated and Patched
Cybercriminals often exploit known software vulnerabilities. By staying vigilant with updates and patches, healthcare organizations can close these gaps and significantly reduce the risk of breaches. Automated update solutions can further streamline this process and ensure consistency. For some best practices to keep your system up to date, take a look at Tech Target’s Automated patch management: 9 best practices for success.
- Train Employees on Phishing Protection
Employees are often the first line of defense against phishing attacks. Comprehensive training programs equip staff with the knowledge to recognize suspicious emails, avoid malicious links, and report potential threats. Explore a list of free training courses from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help establish a culture of security awareness across your organization.
- Manage Third-Party Vendors Carefully
Third-party vendors often represent an overlooked vulnerability. Establishing rigorous evaluation and monitoring protocols ensures that partners adhere to the same high security standards as your organization. Regular assessments of vendor practices can mitigate risks stemming from external collaborations. Health3PT recommends some best practices for managing third party risks here.
- Adopt AI-Powered Threat Detection
Advanced AI-driven tools enable real-time threat detection, pattern analysis, and rapid response. These technologies proactively identify and neutralize potential threats before they escalate into breaches, giving organizations a critical edge in cybersecurity.
- Encrypt Data and Control Access
Encryption is a cornerstone of data protection, transforming sensitive information into an unreadable format without the proper decryption key. Combined with multi-factor authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of login security, encryption safeguards data even in the event of a breach.
For more more strategies, take a look at HIMSS’s guide on Cybersecurity in Healthcare. This resource provides actionable advice on protecting healthcare systems and patient data.
Our approach incorporates cutting-edge technology and a culture of continuous improvement.
Setting the Standard
At BHS Connect, these practices aren’t just theoretical, they’re integral to our approach for all our Release of Information services. Protecting patient data is more than a technical challenge; it’s a moral responsibility that underpins the trust patients place in healthcare providers.
Our approach incorporates cutting-edge technology and a culture of continuous improvement. By leveraging AI-driven threat detection, we can monitor, analyze, and respond to potential risks in real time. This proactive strategy ensures that threats are identified and neutralized before they impact operations or compromise sensitive information.
We align our practices with leading industry frameworks and resources to set the highest standard in healthcare cybersecurity:
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Cybersecurity Program provides guidance on protecting critical healthcare operations and ensuring resilience against cyber threats. These guidelines form the backbone of our defensive measures.
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework helps us assess, manage, and reduce cybersecurity risks systematically. This framework is instrumental in shaping our protocols and guiding our security enhancements.
Beyond technical measures, we prioritize building a culture of security throughout our organization, it’s the foundation of our defenses, like the beams and bricks that hold up a fortress. Staff training, vendor management, and robust incident response planning are the guard towers, ensuring every individual at BHS Connect is an active participant in protecting our systems and data.
By implementing these rigorous standards, we reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding the privacy, trust, and well-being of every patient we serve. Security is not a one-time effort; it’s an ongoing promise to our partners, patients, and communities.
Final Thoughts
The road to healthcare cybersecurity is a journey—one that requires resilience, innovation, and a commitment to trust and safety. By implementing best practices, fostering a culture of security, and leveraging advanced technologies, we can protect patient data and maintain the trust that healthcare depends on. Together, we can shape a future where security isn’t just a requirement—it’s a promise.
BHS partners with leading healthcare organizations to provide a full range of no-cost Release of Information (ROI) services supporting Medical Records and Health Information Management teams.
If someone on your team would like to explore how we can support your facility, please feel free to reach out. We’d be happy to share more details and answer any questions.
