As a result of increased technology use and data sharing, along with the vaccine rollout effort and continuation of remote work, cybersecurity will become more of a focal point for healthcare companies in 2021, experts predict. The rise of telehealth has also led to more cyberattacks. Telehealth providers reported a huge increase in targeted attacks last year as adoption skyrocketed. Investment in cybersecurity also makes sense as two new Department of Health and Human Services regulations meant to nudge the industry toward interoperability are taking effect in April. They will result in health data being shared more broadly, raising significant privacy and security concerns. Additionally, Trump administration regulatory rollbacks finalized in late 2020 include provisions allowing providers, including hospitals, to share cybersecurity software with one another.
