by Stephen Link, director, IT operations
The digitization of medical imaging has revolutionized patient care, but it has also created new vulnerabilities that healthcare organizations can no longer afford to ignore. Recent research published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology reveals a stark reality: ransomware incidents targeting healthcare have increased by 157% from 2022 to 2024, with radiology practices becoming prime targets for cybercriminals.
As SMSC’s Director of IT Operations, I’ve witnessed this evolution firsthand through our work with healthcare clients across the region. Having overseen PACS implementations, teleradiology deployments, and digital pathology initiatives, I’ve seen how the very technologies that enhance patient care can also expose organizations to significant risk when not properly secured.
The True Cost of Cyber Vulnerabilities
While the average ransom payment in healthcare approaches $200,000, this figure represents only the tip of the iceberg. In my experience managing cybersecurity assessments and incident response across healthcare networks, the real costs include:
- Operational downtime that can halt critical diagnostic services
- Data recovery and system rebuilds that can take weeks or months
- Regulatory compliance challenges and potential penalties
- Reputation damage that affects patient trust and referral patterns
- Lost productivity as staff work around compromised systems
These cascading effects explain why cybersecurity has become a strategic priority rather than just a technical concern. Healthcare organizations need comprehensive approaches that protect both their technology infrastructure and their operational capabilities.
A Four-Pillar Defense Strategy
Drawing from both industry best practices and our practical implementation experience at SMSC, I recommend healthcare organizations focus on four critical areas:
1. Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Management
Every successful cybersecurity strategy begins with understanding your unique vulnerabilities. Our healthcare IT consulting team conducts thorough assessments that go beyond simple asset cataloging. We map data flows, identify integration points, and evaluate potential failure modes across the entire imaging ecosystem.
Using proven methodologies including Six Sigma principles, we help organizations prioritize their cybersecurity investments based on both likelihood and potential impact. This strategic approach ensures that limited resources are allocated to protect the most critical components first—often the difference between a minor incident and a major operational disruption.
2. Defense in Depth Architecture
Network segmentation and layered security controls form the foundation of our cybersecurity implementations. When designing protective measures for radiology practices, we implement multiple overlapping security layers: network firewalls, endpoint protection, access controls, and data encryption.
This approach has proven particularly essential in teleradiology environments, where diagnostic images traverse multiple networks and jurisdictions. Each transmission point requires specific security considerations while maintaining the seamless clinical workflows that radiologists depend on for timely patient care.
3. Incident Response Planning and Testing
Technology alone cannot prevent all cyber incidents—preparation determines outcomes. Our team works with healthcare organizations to develop comprehensive incident response plans that address the specific complexities of imaging operations:
- How do you maintain emergency radiology services during a PACS outage?
- What’s your data recovery sequence to minimize downtime?
- How do you communicate effectively with referring physicians and patients?
We’ve found that tabletop exercises involving actual clinical staff reveal operational dependencies that purely technical assessments often miss. When radiologists and technologists participate in these planning sessions, they identify workflow requirements that can make the difference between hours and days of system downtime.
4. Building a Security-Aware Culture
The most sophisticated technical defenses can be undermined by a single employee clicking on a malicious link or falling victim to social engineering. In my experience implementing digital health technologies, user adoption and security awareness must go hand in hand.
Our approach includes regular training programs combined with clear standard operating procedures, creating the “muscle memory” needed during actual incidents. When a technologist can immediately identify and report suspicious activity, you’ve transformed a potential entry point into an early warning system.
Integrating Cybersecurity with Operational Excellence
What makes cybersecurity particularly challenging in healthcare is balancing security requirements with clinical efficiency demands. Every protective measure must consider its impact on patient care and workflow optimization.
At SMSC, we use Agile project management principles to implement security improvements iteratively, based on real-world usage patterns. This allows us to strengthen defenses without sacrificing the operational efficiency that clinical teams require to deliver exceptional patient care.
Our “virtual CIO” service helps healthcare organizations align their cybersecurity investments with broader business strategy, ensuring that security measures enhance rather than hinder digital transformation initiatives.
Cloud Migration and Modern Security
As healthcare organizations increasingly move to cloud-based infrastructure and adopt software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, cybersecurity considerations evolve as well. Our team provides strategic and tactical support for these migrations, ensuring that security controls adapt to new architectural models while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Cloud platforms often offer enhanced security capabilities compared to traditional on-premises infrastructure, but they require different approaches to access management, data governance, and incident response. Our comprehensive advisory services help organizations navigate these transitions successfully.
Moving Forward: A Strategic Partnership Approach
The cybersecurity landscape continues evolving, particularly as artificial intelligence and advanced analytics become more prevalent in diagnostic imaging. Healthcare organizations need adaptive frameworks that can evolve with emerging threats while supporting continued innovation.
At SMSC, we view cybersecurity not as a constraint on digital transformation, but as an enabler of sustainable growth. When radiology practices can trust their infrastructure, they can focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional patient care.
Our managed IT support services provide both the technical expertise and ongoing monitoring needed to maintain robust cybersecurity postures. Through both onsite and remote arrangements, we help healthcare organizations stay ahead of emerging threats while optimizing their technology investments.
Key Takeaways for Healthcare Leaders
The research from the American College of Radiology confirms what we’re seeing across our client base: cybersecurity has become a mission-critical capability for healthcare organizations. Success requires:
- Strategic thinking that aligns cybersecurity with business objectives
- Comprehensive planning that addresses both technical and operational considerations
- Ongoing vigilance through continuous monitoring and assessment
- Cultural transformation that makes security everyone’s responsibility
- Expert partnership that provides both strategic guidance and tactical implementation
Healthcare organizations don’t need to navigate these challenges alone. SMSC’s healthcare IT consulting team combines deep industry experience with proven methodologies to help clients build resilient, secure, and efficient technology environments that support exceptional patient care.
Ready to strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity posture? Contact SMSC to learn how our comprehensive IT services can help protect your radiology practice while supporting your broader digital transformation goals. If you have any questions about the topics covered in this blog post, please email Stephen Link directly here.