Maverick's Update

Speaking of the need for a skilled digital healthcare workforce, there are reportedly 600,000 cybersecurity positions that need filling if the U.S. is going to stave off cyberattacks from Russia. And last week, the Hive, a ransomware group known to target the healthcare industry, announced that it breached a health plan in California and stole 850,000 patient records. We noticed that President Biden’s 2023 budget proposal included increasing civilian cybersecurity spending by 11% to $10.9 billion. We also noticed that HHS’ Office for Civil Rights released a Request for Information to “improve its understanding of how covered entities and business associates are voluntarily implementing recognized security practices” of healthcare data. For its part, the FDA released draft guidance on cybersecurity for medical devicemakers to make sure their software is capable of mitigating against attacks. Medical device cybersecurity is also being addressed in MDUFA, the user fee reauthorization bill, under consideration by Congress. So… there seems to be money available and recognition that we need to shore up this digital workforce. Let’s hope that Congress and grant-making federal and state agencies will behave like Walmart did this week to respond to its workforce issues (paying its truck drivers $110,000 in their first year with the company) and don’t struggle like Starbucks (Howard Schultz came back to address movement from workers to unionize.) We need our health data protected as much as we need our strong cup of coffee.