Congress must fix health care cybersecurity shortfalls

Excerpt

A new virus — malicious computer code — is threatening Americans’ health. Computer hackers are compromising sensitive health information and disrupting hospitals’ ability to provide patient care. Public health and safety require the federal government to help health care providers better protect themselves in cyberspace.

Cyberattacks on health care providers are not merely a financial burden — although their remediation and recovery are often costly. The biggest concern is that cyberattacks can cause monthslong impacts on a hospital’s ability to provide critical care to patients.

When hospital systems are hacked, they may be unable to provide timely emergency services and medical care. Patient outcomes suffer, and death rates are higher. Nearby hospitals may become overcrowded, causing cascading regional impacts. Hackers are attacking hospitals and technology providers that underpin critical health care and public health sector functions. Earlier this year, when the health care payment processing company Change Healthcare suffered a ransomware attack, 74% of hospitals nationwide reported disruptions to patient care for months.

Annie Fixler is the director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Vincent Wang is an intern. Mr. Wang is a master’s student in public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.