Nate Couture, chief information security officer of the Burlington-based University of Vermont Health Network, said rural hospitals' compensation for cybersecurity talent is much lower than other industries, making it harder to fill roles, GovInfoSecurity reported June 14.
"When small and rural organizations can fund a full- or partial-time employee toward cyber, it will generally be at a much lower compensation rate than other industries," Mr. Couture said.
Mr. Couture also said cybersecurity talent isn't attracted to the healthcare industry because it isn't considered "being on the cutting edge of cybersecurity," as the industry isn't equipped with the latest capabilities.
"This makes it a challenge for small and rural hospitals to hire the skill set that is available on the market," Mr. Couture said.