Cybersecurity at CHOP: We All Have a Role to Play

Like other healthcare organizations, CHOP is experiencing an increase in cyber-related attacks and threats. These attacks can be devastating for hospitals and for their patients. Consider these sobering facts:

• Cyberattacks put our patients at risk. 70% of healthcare organizations surveyed in a recent study reported longer lengths of stay, delays in procedures and tests, and an increase in patient events of harm after a cyberattack.
• Cyberattacks have a devastating effect on hospital finances. The average cost of a healthcare data breach is $9.23 million.
• Cyberattacks cause others to lose trust in us. Companies that experience significant cyberattacks report that customers and suppliers feel less secure about trusting them with sensitive information.

We take the threat of cyberattacks very seriously at CHOP. Our Information Security team is partnering with intelligence agencies to receive current threat information, taking preventative measures to protect our confidential information from a cyberattack, and working closely with Emergency Preparedness to ensure that we are ready to respond to cyberattacks.

Information Security has also put together this list of steps that we should all take to protect CHOP's data and systems from cyberattacks:

• Recognize and report phishing. Phishing is on the rise, and it’s the most common way that organizations are hacked. Before clicking on a link in an email or downloading an attachment, remember to practice with a questioning attitude and use our STAR behaviors (stop, think, act, review). Please report any suspicious emails as phishing by clicking the “Report Phishing” button in your inbox. I also encourage you to review these tips on how to recognize phishing.
• Don’t accept multifactor authentication messages on your phone unless you initiated a request for access.
• Use strong passwords. Here are some good guidelines for choosing a strong password.
• Be aware that bad actors also use the phone and social media to obtain information. Use a questioning attitude when providing information over the phone, clicking on a text, or posting CHOP information on social media.

Learn More

For more information on cybersecurity, visit the Information Security @CHOP Community.