The “evolving threat landscape” is more than just a ubiquitous cybersecurity term; it represents some of the biggest challenges cybersecurity leaders contend with, especially in healthcare.

From increasingly sophisticated and dangerous threat actors, expanding attack surfaces, and competing priorities to budget constraints, fragmented technology, and an often confusing regulatory environment, healthcare cybersecurity is a volatile, high-stakes situation for IT security teams.

Exacerbating these challenges is the critical shortage of cybersecurity talent. The ISC2’s 2023 Cybersecurity Workforce Study estimates there are over 480,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions in the U.S. alone. This shortfall is particularly concerning given the alarming escalation of cyber attacks targeting healthcare organizations.

To solve some of these issues and cost-effectively close talent gaps, many healthcare organizations have chosen to partner with a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP).

But what exactly is an MSSP? What do they do, and how should you evaluate whether they’re a good fit for your healthcare organization?

The insights below help answer these questions and equip you with the knowledge to assess and select a suitable MSSP partner.

The role of the MSSP in healthcare cybersecurity

Healthcare IT teams can feel overwhelmed when balancing escalating cybersecurity challenges with the daily IT demands of their organization. Consequently, many healthcare organizations face a lack of skilled cybersecurity staff and insufficient budgets, constraining their ability to maintain a strong cybersecurity program.

Even organizations with sufficient funds to establish an in-house Cybersecurity Team find that staffing it is impractical, given the shortage of cybersecurity professionals needed for its effective operation.

MSSPs help close these gaps.

From providing customized cybersecurity risk assessments and healthcare cybersecurity leadership expertise to 24/7/365 security monitoring, threat hunting, and security technology management, partnering with an MSSP can be a cost-effective solution for healthcare organizations to improve their cybersecurity posture.

Cybersecurity clinicians

The MSSP’s role in managing and mitigating risks is akin to preventive medicine. Similar to how doctors provide care to stop diseases before they start, an MSSP team can implement strategies and services to prevent cybersecurity incidents.

They can also handle the regulatory compliance aspect of cybersecurity, much like how medical professionals ensure their treatments comply with healthcare standards and laws.

Moreover, just as a medical team uses equipment and techniques to diagnose and treat patients, an MSSP employs best-in-class technologies and practices to protect the organization’s digital health.

In essence, just as a specialized medical team is crucial to a hospital’s ability to manage complex health situations, an MSSP can be essential to a healthcare organization’s ability to proficiently manage the complex and dynamic landscape of cybersecurity.

What to look for in a healthcare cybersecurity MSSP

Although there are many MSSPs in the market, finding one that aligns with the unique requirements of the healthcare sector can be challenging. Here are some notable questions to ask and answer in your evaluation of an MSSP:

Does the MSSP understand your specific organization?

Healthcare organizations manage sensitive patient information, so it’s vital to select an MSSP that has healthcare experience and knows how to protect data while ensuring patient care remains uninterrupted.

While healthcare knowledge and experience are important, that familiarity should go beyond compliance with HIPAA and HITECH. Your MSSP should understand the nuanced needs of your specific organization.

For example, hospitals have different security needs than skilled nursing facilities or doctors’ offices. A healthcare system has different needs than a single facility. Your MSSP should know your specific industry, organization type, unique cybersecurity risks, and any local regulations that govern your organization.

Is the MSSP providing a holistic view of your risks?

It’s not enough to understand your industry. An MSSP should also have a clear picture of your specific cyber risk.

For example, a good MSSP should conduct a risk assessment using a framework like NIST CSF to determine a baseline for your organization. That assessment provides everyone with a clearer picture of your risk profile and security controls.

This sort of assessment can reveal several important insights that allow an MSSP to customize a cybersecurity plan for your environment, including:

  • The prioritization of threats or vulnerabilities
  • Which sites need the most attention
  • What controls, people, technology, and processes are in place at each site
  • Controls that are beneficial versus those merely consuming time and budget

How does the MSSP deliver their services?

Key individuals across your organization need the ability to quickly pinpoint vulnerabilities and understand the actions taken to address them, making visibility into security information critical.

Look for an MSSP partner with a centralized platform that consolidates advisory insights, threat information, and cybersecurity technology in one place, allowing users to promptly identify and track risks, actively monitor threats, respond quickly and effectively to incidents, and work more efficiently.

Does the MSSP offer a comprehensive solution?

Selecting an MSSP that offers a wide range of customizable services bolsters your security team and ensures you receive the most value for your investment.

For example, an MSSP may be able to provide you with a list of remediations but be unable to help you implement those solutions, leaving you no better off than when you started.

Conversely, an MSSP that also provides on-demand expertise, security awareness training, vulnerability threat management, and 24/7 security protection is better structured to support your cyber maturity goals.

Does the MSSP have a track record for long-term support and guidance?

Cybersecurity controls require ongoing attention, not a “set it and forget it” approach. Your MSSP should work with you to steadily improve your security over time, serving as a critical advisor on emerging threats and key security trends while guiding you on the most impactful controls.

They can also prevent unnecessary expenditures on ineffective tools that don’t improve your cybersecurity posture.

Choosing a partner-focused MSSP

A strong MSSP should be more than just a team that handles scans and breaches for your organization. They should be an integral partner that customizes solutions to fit your budget, presents impactful strategies to leadership, and proactively safeguards patient data.

Ultimately, the right MSSP enables you to turn over cybersecurity to a team of trusted experts so that your team can do what they do best: deliver exceptional patient care.

Cyber threats aren’t slowing and regulatory requirements to combat them are only increasing. An experienced MSSP can not only help you close your known security gaps, but also guide you through how to ensure your cybersecurity program meets new healthcare-specific cybersecurity performance goals (CPGs).

Watch our on-demand webinar with leaders from 405(d) to learn more.