Ransomware Resilience: Ensuring Patient Care Continuity Under Cyber Attack

Ransomware attacks against healthcare organizations continue to rise in frequency, cost, and patient impact. Unlike other industries, downtime in hospitals is measured not just in lost revenue but in delayed diagnoses, canceled procedures, and direct threats to patient safety. In fact, by 2026, industry projections warn that 60% of hospitals may experience disruptions to care delivery due to ransomware. This looming reality underscores the need for true resilience — not just prevention — to withstand and recover from attacks without compromising care.

This session will examine lessons learned from recent high-profile incidents, highlight the unique challenges of clinical environments where patching and downtime are not always options, and outline practical strategies for resilience: incident response planning, business continuity integration, tabletop exercises, communication protocols, and partnerships with law enforcement and regulators.

Attendees will leave with a clear framework for strengthening ransomware preparedness and actionable steps to maintain patient care operations even under the pressure of a cyber-attack.