Editor's Note Although SecurityScorecard gave the US healthcare a “better than expected” B+ rating for cybersecurity in 2024, the supply chain cybersecurity firm also highlighted significant risks in application and endpoint security, HealthcareIT News reported June 25. Overall, 35% of third-party data breaches in 2023 affected healthcare organizations, the…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced assistance for providers affected by the Change Healthcare cyberattack ends next month. According to the June 17 announcement, payments under the Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) Program for the Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) will end July 12,…
Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has announced Class 1 recalls—the most severe category, indicating risk of serious injury or death—for three products: MEGA SOFT Pediatric Patient Return Electrodes from Megadyne, Vaporizer Sevoflurane Maquet Filling from Getinge; and Arrow FiberOptix Intra-Aortic Balloon Catheter Kit and Arrow UltraFlex…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated OptumHealth Care Solutions’ recall of the Nimbus II ambulatory infusion pumps a class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s May 30 announcement, the company recalled the pumps in direct…
Editor's Note A $50 million initiative to develop cybersecurity tools for hospitals aims to protect providers and patients alike from ransomware, according to a May 20 report in Becker’s Health IT. The Universal PatchinG and Remediation for Autonomous DEfense, or UPGRADE, program was launched the same day by the Advanced Research…
Editor's Note Nearly 7 in 10 physicians responding to a recent Wolters Kluwer Health survey report that their views on the healthcare benefits of generative artificial intelligence (AI) have shifted in a positive direction during the past year. Detailed in an April 16 report, the survey also reveals that 40%…
Editor's Note: Ransomware group RansomHub is threatening to sell information stolen in the Change Healthcare cyberattack after leaking some of the material to the dark web, according to an April 16 report in Becker’s Health IT. Comprising contracts, records, and other personal patient data, the posted material is part of…
What is the purpose of the top 10 health technology hazards list, released every year by ECRI? “Our number one goal at ECRI is to reduce preventable harm,” stresses Jason Launders, MSC, former director of operations, device evaluation, at ECRI. “We know that every healthcare provider has a lot they…
Editor's Note Cybersecurity remains a top concern and potential hazard for patient data. In February, Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was attacked by a ransomware gang BlackCat, which has ties to Russia, Becker’s Health IT reports. The health system has since notified 627 individuals and will continue to…
Editor's Note ECRI on January18 published its Top 10 Health Technology Hazards report for 2023, which includes: Gaps in recalls for at-home medical devices Defective single-use medical devices Automated dispensing cabinet overrides Undetected venous needle dislodgement Cybersecurity risks associated with cloud-based clinical systems Inflatable pressure infusers Confusion about ventilator cleaning…