Healthcare Sector Coordinating Council’s Cybersecurity Working Group Moves to Boost Membership

50 executives from 34 national-level industry associations across 5 healthcare subsectors met on February 6 in Washington DC to discuss strengthening the membership of the Cyber Working Group as the official critical infrastructure protection partner to the Department of Health and Human Services. The HSCC’s mission is to develop strategic and policy solutions in partnership with the government to make the healthcare sector more secure and resilient against all hazards, including cyber risk. The Cyber Working Group is co-chaired by H-ISAC Board member Terry Rice of Merck, and HITRUST Vice President Bryan Cline. H-ISAC’s Greg Garcia serves as its executive director.

Over the course of the 5 hour meeting, the CWG leadership and the associations: 1) reviewed the authorities and objectives of the Healthcare Sector Coordinating Council; 2) heard from HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlick and DHS Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity & Communication Jeanette Manfra about our challenge and partnership; and 3) deliberated across 8 breakout tables to consider priority initiatives the CWG must address to be responsive to the Healthcare Industry Cybersecurity Task Force Report recommendations released last June.

Of the 34 associations in attendance, only 3 were pre-existing members of the CWG, which leadership recognizes is in need of a more broadly representative and cross-disciplinary membership. The expectation is that the associations that attended will add their expertise and effort to the work streams and recruit their own member companies and organizations to join as well. Potential initiatives discussed for adoption later in the month include such imperatives as healthcare specific cyber best practices; workforce development and training; medical device and health IT cybersecurity standards; regulatory and policy modernization; and cross-sector engagement, among others.

For more information on membership in the Healthcare Sector Coordinating Council, contact greg.garcia@healthsectorcouncil.org