Connected medical devices are proving essential amidst today’s new normal, but their mainstream adoption has also brought security loopholes to the fore. Fragmented systems have given rise to information silos and unencrypted devices, with hackers increasingly targeting health organizations and hospitals as a result.
It is worth considering what cybersecurity leaders can do as data security shapes up to be the health industry’s next battlefront.
The story so far: Coronavirus and healthtech
Medical connected devices have become a cornerstone defense for patients and healthcare workers over the past 12 months. The ability for devices to supply socially distanced medical information at a time when personal space and health insight are needed most has resulted in their astronomical rise.
From wearable IoT devices like smartwatches that provide a patient’s heart rate and blood oxygen level, to personal medical devices like hearing aids that can be calibrated remotely, these devices have proven vital for both patients and healthcare providers.
Smart devices have also played a key role in the fight against the pandemic. The integration of IoT devices with smart sensors and algorithms in the medical field, connected to an application via the cloud and other connected devices, have been very helpful in contact tracing.
Personal medical care and health data interoperability were already major hot topics in medicine before the pandemic, and now they are only growing with the expansion of medical connected devices. This is evident as a greater awareness and acceptance of newer technologies and higher spending on healthcare services is expected to see medical connected devices grow to $260 billion by 2027.
Connected medical devices brought security loopholes mainstream
Cybersecurity for Connected Medical Devices
