John Riggi & Scott Gee, American Hospital Association | theCUBE + NYSE Wired: MedTech Unplugged

In this episode of theCUBE’s MedTech Unplugged series, hosts John Furrier and the research team engage in a profound conversation with John Riggi and Scott Gee from the American Hospital Association (AHA). The discussion centers around the escalating cybersecurity threats faced by hospitals, particularly the alarming rise in ransomware attacks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. With backgrounds in the FBI and Secret Service, Riggi and Gee draw on their extensive experience to outline the pressing need for improved cyber resilience within healthcare. They emphasize the dire implications of these attacks, framing them not merely as data breaches but as threats to patient safety and community health. The conversation explores both the challenges and strategic measures hospitals can adopt to safeguard their operations against cyber adversaries, emphasizing collaboration across sectors.

Key Topics Covered:

• Overview of cybersecurity challenges in hospitals, particularly ransomware attacks.
• Impact of sophisticated cyber adversaries on healthcare operations.
• Definition of ransomware as a service and its implications for hospitals.
• Consequences of cyber attacks on patient safety and healthcare delivery.
• Importance of public-private partnerships in enhancing cybersecurity measures.
• Strategies for hospitals to implement clinical continuity plans during cyber incidents.
• The evolving role of technology in protecting critical healthcare infrastructure.
• Call to action for involvement from both the private sector and the public in addressing cybersecurity risks in healthcare.