In an era where health care organizations rely heavily on third-party vendors for everything from patient data management to clinical operations, cybersecurity has become a shared responsibility. Yet, a health system’s defenses are only as strong as its weakest link - and that link is often a vendor.

To help health care leaders navigate this complex landscape, the American Hospital Association, in partnership with Mastercard Cybersecurity, has released a new report: Monitoring and Mitigating Third-Party Cyber Risks. 

This report offers an engaging discussion and actionable insights from 10 industry-leading experts, including Mastercard’s own cybersecurity specialists. One of the outcomes of the report is the 9 strategic steps health care organizations can take to proactively manage vendor risk.

Here’s a preview of the 9 steps:

  1. Start with Strong Governance
    Establish clear oversight, accountability, and executive sponsorship. Elevate cybersecurity beyond IT to ensure it has strategic visibility.Cyber risk management needs executive-level attention. Elevate it beyond IT and ensure leadership is actively involved in oversight and decision-making.

  2. Build a Comprehensive Inventory
    You can’t protect what you don’t know. Build and maintain a detailed list of all third-party vendors, and track how often they’re reviewed.

  3. Assess Risk Beyond the Third Party
    Risk doesn’t stop at your immediate partners. Assess the security posture of your vendors’ vendors to uncover hidden vulnerabilities.

  4. Integrate Risk into Contracts Early
    Don’t wait until something goes wrong. Bake cybersecurity expectations into contracts from the start to ensure vendors are held accountable.

  5. Prioritize Business and Clinical Continuity
    Treat cyber incidents like any other emergency. Have contingency plans in place to keep clinical and business operations running smoothly.

  6. Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration
    Cyber risk touches every department. Break down silos and ensure legal, procurement, compliance, and IT are working together with clear roles and communication paths.

  7. Use External Validation, Not Just Self-Assessments
    Trust but verify. Use third-party evaluations to confirm vendors meet your standards—don’t rely solely on their word.

  8. Leverage Industry Tools and Certifications Wisely
    Industry certifications are helpful, but they’re not the whole picture. Combine them with tools that offer real-time insights into vendor risk.

  9. Measure What Matters
    Focus on KPIs that reflect real progress—like how many vendors are reviewed regularly or how engaged leadership is in cyber oversight.

Why This Matters

Even companies rated ‘A’ for security are not immune - 5% still experienced a breach. This report is a call to action for health care leaders to move beyond reactive measures and embrace a proactive, strategic approach to third-party cybersecurity.

 

📘 Download the full report below to explore the full dialogue between 10 industry leaders and learn how to safeguard patient trust, operational continuity, and financial stability.

https://www.riskrecon.com/report-mitigating-third-party-cyber-risks-in-healthcare