Cloud Adoption and Partnerships Help Rural Hospitals Improve Cybersecurity

About 57 million Americans depend on rural hospitals for their healthcare, according to the American Hospital Association.

Because of low population density in rural areas, hospitals there often have low patient volumes that can lead to high relative operating costs. This makes investment in cybersecurity more challenging. Already vulnerable due to precarious financial situations and personnel shortages, rural healthcare providers also face an increased risk of cyberattacks.

New threat vectors and vulnerabilities continue to emerge as Internet of Medical Things devices proliferate in the clinical environment. Ransomware attacks on hospitals have spiked in recent years. Budget constraints can make it more difficult for rural hospitals to prevent and respond to rapidly evolving cyberthreats. However, there are steps these organizations can take now to help improve their approach to cybersecurity.