2025 Double the breaches but less patient data compromised TechTarget

pPramote Lertnitivanitistock viappIn 2025 the frequency of healthcare data breaches more than doubled However the number of patient records exposed has significantly decreased indicating a shift in the data breach landscape according to a new report from Fortified Health Security  ppThe healthcare sector is experiencing more frequent cyber events with smaller data footprints driven largely by ransomware identity compromise and thirdparty weakness the report stated This represents progress in limiting breach size but also signals a new phase of cyber risk where operational resilience response capacity and workforce sustainability matter as much as traditional data protection measures ppThe Fortified Health Security report pulled data from the HHS Office for Civil Rights its own NIST Cybersecurity Framework assessments and realworld incident response experience ppTotal breach volume in 2025 surpassed 2024 by 112 the company found Hacking and IT incidents continued to dominate the cyberthreat landscape with a 98 yearoveryear increase Unauthorized access and disclosure had a yearoveryear increase of 240 largely attributed to misdirected communications improper internal access and emerging shadow AI risks Additionally emailbased breaches more than doubled from 2024 to 2025 ppDespite the alarming increase in breach volumes fewer patient records were implicated in breaches in 2025 than in 2024 In years past highimpact breaches like 2024s Change Healthcare breach made headlines for their sheer size and widespread reach  ppThe absence of a single major event hid a more sinister threat Attacks that come faster hit more healthcare organizations and strain teams through repetition rather than scale the report stated Because of this the healthcare industrys focus on defense and resilience has become essential ppDespite this shift healthcare organizations have considerable room to grow in improving their defenses Just 4 of surveyed leaders expressed being very confident that their organizations thirdparty risk assessments aligned with the actual level of risk each vendor poses ppAdditionally 43 of respondents said that they were not sure or did not have a formal process in place for retraining staff on foundational security practices Lack of time and leadership support contributed to barriers in cybersecurity training ppJust 6 of respondents reported being very confident in their ability to detect and recover from a cyber incident while most leaders expressed being only somewhat confident ppIn 2026 the importance of threat detection and preparedness will continue to grow especially given the emerging threat of shadow AI and increased breach volume Still the report showed that leaders are optimistic about 2026 and the potential for increasing crossindustry collaboration leadership attention and AIdriven innovation ppJill Hughes has covered healthcare cybersecurity and privacy news since 2021ppStrategies for achieving health IT interoperability include improving data quality and adopting data standards according to ppThe new pointofcare workflow introduced by athenahealth and bwell Connected Health aims to kill the clipboard as directed ppThe Sequoia Project is seeking feedback on its draft best practices for reducing barriers to patient access to health datappThe standard and accompanying framework aim to provide clear guidance and expectations for health AI tools that interact with ppMass General Brigham researchers have created an opensource multiagent AI system that analyzes clinical notes to identify ppTo contend with the complex regulatory patchwork of state health AI laws experts recommend that health systems adopt flexible ppThe telepsychiatry provider has doubled its total funding with this latest financing round suggesting continued interest in ppFactors like differentiation integration evaluation and solid pathways to profitability will make or break digital health ppIn 2026 experts expect consolidation AI integration and an emphasis on ROI to drive stabilization and potentially growth in pp

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