How technology and cooperation can help secure a healthier future 

Healthcare has entered a fascinating era: Data provides new insights into human health, while artificial intelligence and big data accelerate advances in life sciences. Data is much more than bits and bytes—it’s the lifeblood of healthcare. Thus, it must be protected with no compromise. 

In my meetings with healthcare managers, I am often asked one question: “How can we effectively protect data?” This shared awareness of the value of data strengthens my conviction that people-centered healthcare must be based on solutions architected with data security at the forefront.

This is what the past has taught me. I remember working in the travel industry in the 1990s. Back then, people were hesitant to make online payments. We didn’t trust electronic data. Over time, we got used to credit cards and online shopping as they became secure and convenient. Likewise, prioritizing #dataprotection in healthcare is essential to building trustworthy and easy-to-navigate solutions for patients. 

Just as spending time online has become natural nowadays, in the future, the utilization of one’s health data for informed decision-making will become increasingly common.

Data is health

Digital transformation in healthcare unlocks tremendous opportunities—from early diagnosis of diseases to personalized prevention and treatment. It makes me think of the first telescope made by Galileo Galilei that allowed people to explore the complexity of the universe. Today, though, data sharing helps us gain a better understanding of ourselves and our health.

Aggregated, harmonized, and analyzed data accelerates developments in life sciences, helping patients live longer, better lives. New data-based technologies, including #AI, enhance operational efficiency in healthcare delivery, streamline clinical workflows, provide decision support, enable remote patient monitoring, and speed up drug development. 

However, to unlock the enormous potential of data, we must remember that only secure healthcare ecosystems can thrive for the benefit of patients.

Cyber attacks on healthcare 

Every security report I’ve read recently suggests that the number of data breaches in healthcare is growing. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the frequency of #cyberattacks on US healthcare delivery organizations more than doubled from 2016 to 2021. In Europe, from January 2021 to March 2023, 53% of publicly reported cybersecurity incidents targeted healthcare systems, reports The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). 

The question is not whether a healthcare organization will become a target for hackers but when. However, good cyber preparedness will help prevent destructive consequences.

Behind the statistics of ransomware attacks or the number of data breach incidents, there are real stories. Blocked access to IT infrastructure disrupts medical facility operations, causing emotional stress for healthcare workers and administrative staff. Patients may experience the risk of losing some data, with their privacy and trust in healthcare institutions also potentially at stake.

United for better data protection and the future

Hackers cannot stop us in our quest to improve patients’ health! On the contrary, they mobilize us to increase efforts to mitigate risks and strengthen the data security shield by applying best-in-class data protection technologies and enhancing regional and global collaboration.

#Cybersecurity goes beyond protecting data here and now. At Roche, we see it as a crucial factor that drives the future of healthcare. Data safety and patient privacy has been our top priority for over a century because it is one of the determinants of trust. Without trust, breakthrough innovations like AI, big data, and cloud computing will be of little use.

“Trust is hard-earned, easily lost, and difficult to reestablish.” Thus, cybersecurity is no longer optional. It is central for new technologies to become a building block of ethical, safe, and patient-centered healthcare delivery models. 

For this very reason, cybersecurity is seamlessly integrated into Roche Diagnostics’ product lifecycle, from idea to sunset of a product. Let me give you a few examples. Every solution must align with—or even surpass—the most rigorous security and privacy standards. When developing our solutions, we follow the “security by design and default” principles. We invest in technological innovations to monitor, detect, and prevent cybercrimes (Defense in Depth approach). And much more.

What did Bill tell me about golden data security principles?

Whenever I need an update on the most recent data security advances and trends, I call Bill O'Connell , Roche Diagnostics’ Global Head of Product Security and Privacy. Bill leads a dedicated team that safeguards the security and privacy of our diagnostics instruments and digital health products. 

According to Bill and his organization, solid cybersecurity and data privacy start from keeping things simple, prioritizing transparency and consistency in security practices, and staying up-to-date with the latest technologies. We both agree that training is the best security measure that must be incorporated in every phase of product development. “Cyber threats evolve, so your cybersecurity strategy must progress even faster. Be agile. Be ready for every scenario of unforeseen incidents,” says Bill.

And believe me, Bill takes data security very seriously: He doesn’t even tell me the details that allow Roche to be one step ahead of cybercriminals’ activities.

Another takeaway from our regular updates is Threat Intelligence Sharing—close cooperation with customers, partners, and stakeholders within the healthcare value chain. Joint initiatives against #cybercrime may be the most effective measure since cybercrimes have no borders. 

Cyberattacks on healthcare are attacks on people. That is why cybersecurity has always been close to my heart. In the ever-evolving landscape of digital health technologies, I passionately share Roche’s commitment to assisting its customers and partners in navigating the cybersecurity landscape to ensure data safety and privacy because I know how our actions impact the health and lives of patients.