Cyberattacks and outages pose growing risks to healthcare: report

Ransomware incidents nearly doubled in 2023 compared to 2022.

Cyberattacks targeting the healthcare industry have been increasing, with ransomware incidents nearly doubling in 2023 compared to 2022, according to McKinsey.

“The outages that result from these attacks can have severe, long-lasting effects on health systems and patients,” it said.

Beyond cyber threats, outages can also result from technology failures and natural disasters. Utility companies have begun preemptively cutting power in areas at risk of severe weather conditions to prevent wildfires.

These cuts can significantly impact healthcare organisations, particularly those with outdated, uninterruptible power supply systems.

Moreover, historically low investment in IT infrastructure has left many provider organizations vulnerable to technology failures.

Such outages can disrupt medical services, leading to delays in procedures and tests, prolonged hospital stays, complications in treatment, and increased mortality rates.

“Technology resilience is thus crucial not only to business continuity but also to ensure uninterrupted patient care,” McKinsey added.