Medical Groups Create Cybersecurity Certification
Medical Groups Create Cybersecurity Certification
https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/medical-groups-create-cybersecurity-certification/
Publish Date: 2026-05-26 12:18:00
Source Domain: associationsnow.com
Two medical associations have partnered to launch a certification for hospital staff to prepare for cyberattacks.
The Cyber Resilience Readiness program, announced earlier this month, was developed by the American Hospital Association and the Joint Commission, a healthcare accreditation nonprofit. The program provides hospital staff with guidance on how to respond to lack of access to electronic records and diagnostic tools due to power outages, ransomware, and other cyberattacks.
A ransomware attack was featured prominently in the TV hospital drama “The Pitt,” reflecting an increasing problem in the healthcare industry. A release announcing the certification cites an FBI report noting that “healthcare and public health were the most frequently targeted sectors for cyberthreats in 2025, with a total of 642 incidents, including 460 ransomware attacks and 182 data breaches.” In March, a cyberattack on the technology company Stryker caused a global disruption of medical facilities.
Scott Gee, deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk at AHA, said that the association has been addressing the challenge for years, but in 2024 began working with the Joint Commission on developing a training program that addressed both the technical issues of cybersecurity and protocols for medical staff for when a facility goes dark.
According to the FBI, healthcare and public health were the most frequently targeted sectors for cyberthreats last year.
“Folks tend to think it’s an IT problem, but cybersecurity is an enterprise-wide risk,” Gee said. “The IT folks are the ones turning systems back on and getting things back up and running. But the clinicians have to be able to do their job during that outage. Sometimes there’s no close alternative. Sometimes the economic impact is tremendous, and sending all your patients away just compounds the problem.”
Through the program, healthcare facility leaders are…
