“I just want to take care of my patient… I just need it to work.”
That phrase, often said in frustration by a clinician trying to log in, open a chart, or power up a connected device, has come to define the long-standing rift between cybersecurity teams and clinical staff.
For years, healthcare cybersecurity has been framed as an IT responsibility, while clinicians were expected to work around the constraints of security tools and protocols. In many cases, it’s felt like two opposing teams trying to protect the same system from opposite directions.
But those days are over.
Cybersecurity has become a frontline issue, one that directly affects patient safety, clinical trust, and the environment of care. Ransomware doesn’t just lock files; it compromises the core pillars of security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA Triad). The result is delayed treatments, rerouted ambulances, and manual workarounds in ICUs and ORs.
Clinical cybersecurity is no longer “us vs. them.” It’s us, together.
The Divide That No Longer Works
Historically, clinicians and cybersecurity teams have operated in separate domains. Policy changes were handed down, downtime procedures were “filed,” and clinicians were left reacting to disruptions they had little control over.
Meanwhile, security teams found themselves frustrated by perceived resistance to controls and “workarounds” or “shadow IT” that often emerged out of necessity to continue the delivery of care to patients. The problem? Neither side was wrong, but neither could succeed alone.
This disconnect has led to breakdowns in trust, collaboration, and ultimately, care delivery. Cyber is often viewed as the “department of no,” while clinical staff are seen as resistant to policy. But we now know, disconnected teams create connected risk.
“Cybersecurity isn’t just a technology issue, it’s a care delivery issue. When security fails, patient safety is on the line.”
– Senior Health IT Leader, Large Pediatric Health System (U.S.)
Cybersecurity Is a Clinical Risk
In today’s healthcare environment, security failures = clinical failures.
- A ransomware attack delays cancer treatments.
- A phishing email disables a lab system.
- A vulnerable infusion pump becomes the path for a network compromise.
Regulators and industry bodies are reinforcing this reality. The FDA, The Joint Commission, and HHS 405(d) now define cybersecurity as a core component of clinical risk management. Forward-looking organizations are treating it that way.
“Healthcare cybersecurity is no longer just a compliance issue; it’s a clinical imperative. That means clinicians must be part of the governance and planning, not just the response.”
– Rick LeMay, Chief Delivery Officer, First Health Advisory
Clinicians as Cyber Champions
What we’ve seen across the industry is clear: when clinical voices are included in the cybersecurity conversation, not just training or response, outcomes improve dramatically.
Clinicians:
- Understand which workflows can and cannot be paused
- Know where downtime is unacceptable and at what point it degrades workflows
- Can identify high-risk moments that don’t show up in technical documentation
“When cybersecurity and clinical leaders work in sync, it builds a culture of shared ownership. That culture is what drives faster response, stronger governance, and ultimately, safer care delivery.”
– SVP & CDIO, Regional Health System (U.S. Southeast)
From Compliance to Culture
Security policies don’t protect patients; culture does. That culture forms when:
- Clinical leaders sit on cyber governance committees
- Downtime drills reflect actual workflows
- Security teams round with clinical units
- Shared decision-making replaces top-down enforcement
This isn’t about making clinicians into cybersecurity experts. It’s about embedding cyber awareness into care operations and recognizing clinicians as essential to planning, not just execution.
Culture change doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen when cyber and clinical teams co-own the mission of securing the environment of care.
The Path Forward: Co-Leadership, Not Control
Cyber threats aren’t slowing down. Neither is digital transformation in healthcare.
To meet the moment, we need a new model, one where clinical, technical, and operational leaders work together from day one. Because the systems we’re protecting aren’t just digital; they’re deeply human.
It’s not “us vs. them” anymore. It’s all of us, aligned for care.
Making Cybersecurity Everyone’s Mission
At First Health Advisory, we support healthcare organizations in developing enterprise-wide, programmatic approaches to cybersecurity that bring together clinical, IT, HTM, and executive leaders. Our multidisciplinary team includes clinicians such as physicians, nurses, pathologists, CISOs, a former Navy corpsman, and more, working alongside cybersecurity and technology experts. Our work is grounded in the reality that resilience does not belong to one department; it is shared across the organization.
If your organization is ready to embed cybersecurity into the culture of care with structure, strategy, and shared ownership, we’re here to help.