Cybercrime is akin to a "chronic disease" that must be managed through increased safeguards and federal collaboration, the American Hospital Association's chief executive wrote Aug. 8.
Amid the seemingly unceasing number of cyberattacks on the industry, including the ransomware hacks of claims processor Change Healthcare and blood supplier OneBlood, the AHA is providing cybersecurity alerts and advisories, preparedness and response plans, and complimentary cyber support from tech companies, according to President and CEO Rick Pollack.
"In some ways, cybercrime is like a chronic disease," he wrote. "It may not be curable, but it can be managed, and the risk of becoming 'infected' can be reduced if all parts of the healthcare sector and the government share responsibility and each do their part to protect the healthcare infrastructure we all depend on to advance health in our nation."
The federal government, he said, must do more to share intelligence on cyberthreats and disrupt them using military and intelligence cyber capabilities, while the AHA is working to ensure that healthcare cybersecurity regulations from the Biden administration are consistent with HHS' voluntary approach and come with third-party standards and more resources for hospitals and health systems.