Many CISOs and CIOs are constantly fighting for budget dollars and find themselves competing against other strategic initiatives within their organization. Gaining executive buy-in is critical to any successful cybersecurity program and is required to protect patient information adequately. Buy-in throughout the organization is increasingly more critical as the threat landscape continues to intensify. Pause to consider:
Are cybersecurity initiatives presented as an enabler of other strategic initiatives within your organization or as a competing initiative?
When preparing your budget or strategic initiative, it is important to tie your “ask” back to your organization’s mission. Typically, this includes providing patient care, so make sure that you are outlining how your increase will enable a better patient experience. Furthermore, it is vital to understand all of the other strategic initiatives in your organization so you can make sure that you position cybersecurity as an enabler of those initiatives. For example, why would an organization not consider cybersecurity as they invest millions in patient engagement initiatives if consumer [patients] confidence can be negatively impacted due to a breach? These initiatives intersect and, therefore, should be evaluated together, not separately.
Are you adequately demonstrating how prior investments are lowering organizational risk and enabling better patient care?
Demonstrating the value of prior investments in cybersecurity should be viewed as low-hanging fruit; however, it’s something that is often overlooked. One way to gain buy-in is to show that previous cybersecurity initiatives reduced risk and drove results while enabling better patient care. Demonstrating this through data is essential and powerful. Additionally, tying previous and future cybersecurity initiatives to a strategic plan will help leaders see a vision for how cybersecurity intersects with other efforts. Communicating these results effectively can help gain buy-in from leaders throughout the organization and set the stage for the next “ask.”
Is your cybersecurity program engaging leaders throughout the organization to help champion cybersecurity initiatives?
Building consensus for cybersecurity initiatives is something that most leaders try to do. This always seems easier said than done, primarily due to the bandwidth constraints most leaders feel today. Finding champions outside of security or IT is very important as you work towards building a culture of security. This is also critical when it comes to securing budget dollars. Make sure your security team is spending time out in the business and patient care settings to develop meaningful, real relationships. This will help align your initiatives with other organizational priorities.
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Fortified Health Security is committed to strengthening the security posture of healthcare organizations. In the spirit of Cybersecurity Awareness month, we will be posting daily information for you to consider when maintaining your organization’s cybersecurity program.