Safeguarding Trust in Healthcare

Healthcare today is more digital than ever. From electronic health records (EHR) and cloud-hosted imaging to AI-driven diagnostics and real-time patient monitoring, modern care relies on data moving seamlessly across networks. With this comes a fundamental responsibility: ensuring sensitive patient information is secure, private, and always accessible.

Security and privacy are not just technical considerations – they are at the heart of patient trust. Every system and network in healthcare should be designed with the understanding that behind every data point is a real person.

The Human Impact of Cyber Threats

Cyberattacks in healthcare are increasing in both frequency and sophistication. Ransomware, phishing, and insider threats disrupt operations, delay treatments, and compromise patient data. In 2023 alone,

U.S. healthcare organizations reported over 133 million breached patient records, according to the Department of Health and Human Services—more than double the prior year.

“Patients whose treatments are postponed, clinicians locked out of critical systems, and families worrying about personal information—these are the real consequences of security lapses.”

Security in healthcare is not abstract. It has real-world consequences that directly affect lives. When hospitals treat cybersecurity as foundational, they protect not just data but the people who rely on it.

Why Avoiding the Public Internet Matters

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) consistently warns against conducting sensitive activities over public internet connections. Public networks, they note, are “not always secure, potentially exposing you to online risks and presenting an opportunity for cybercriminals to steal sensitive information.”

Yet many healthcare organizations still move sensitive data across the public internet—a practice that magnifies exposure. Protecting patient data requires private, dedicated pathways, strong encryption, and controlled access.

Cloud migration delivers scalability and collaboration, but never at the cost of security. By embedding private, secure connections into infrastructure, healthcare organizations can innovate confidently without sacrificing patient trust.

Innovation and Protection in Balance

Healthcare leaders must embrace advanced technologies, telehealth, mission-critical applications, AI, and cloud-hosted analytics, while maintaining uncompromising privacy standards.

Strong security does not impede progress; it enables it. When clinicians and IT teams know that patient data is safe, they can focus on delivering care, advancing research, and improving outcomes without hesitation.

Consider a multi-site hospital deploying cloud-hosted imaging for radiologists in different locations. If the system relies on the public internet, delays and cyber risks increase. By contrast, a private, secure network enables radiologists to collaborate seamlessly, view high-resolution images instantly, and prioritize accurate diagnoses.

Security is not a barrier to innovation; it is the foundation that makes innovation sustainable.

Global Data, Global Responsibility

Healthcare data is increasingly global. Multi-site hospitals, international research trials, and cross-border collaborations require information to move seamlessly yet securely. Compliance frameworks like HIPAA and GDPR provide essential guidance, but they are not substitutes for proactive network design.

Patients expect their data to be safe, whether it stays within their local hospital or travels across continents. Meeting this expectation requires cloud migration strategies that prioritize private pathways and resilient architecture.

Security as a Shared Commitment

Technology alone cannot secure healthcare. A culture of security is essential. When clinicians, administrators, and technology partners see privacy as a shared responsibility, organizations become stronger.

This requires:

• Policies that make security a non-negotiable principle
• Training to ensure staff at every level understand their role
• Awareness campaigns that reinforce security as trust—not just compliance

When everyone in an organization aligns around the idea that “security equals trust,” innovation reaches its full potential.

Looking Ahead

Healthcare’s future will be more connected than ever. Cloud adoption, telehealth, mission-critical applications, and AI analytics are transforming how care is delivered. With this progress comes heightened responsibility.

Embedding security and privacy at the foundation of healthcare’s digital infrastructure is not a technical preference; it is an ethical imperative. Avoiding public internet exposure, designing resilient networks, and enabling safe cloud adoption are vital for maintaining patient trust.

Patients don’t see networks or servers; they see their providers. It is our responsibility to make sure the invisible systems behind every interaction are secure, reliable, and trustworthy. When security and privacy are prioritized, innovation thrives—and patient care reaches its full potential.

About Jeffrey Barth

Jeffrey Barth is President at NexGen Healthcare, a division of NexGen Networks, leading efforts to deliver secure, high-performance network solutions for healthcare organizations. He focuses on enabling innovation while protecting patient privacy and trust, with expertise in cloud connectivity and digital infrastructure.

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