Healthcare organizations depend on connected medical devices and digital infrastructure to deliver safe, effective, and efficient patient care. However, this growing interconnectivity also expands the attack surface for cybercriminals. As medical devices become more networked and legacy systems persist, healthcare leaders face a critical question: how can they reduce cybersecurity risk while maintaining clinical continuity?
The answer lies in long-term, forward-thinking planning. A proactive approach to equipment replacement, infrastructure modernization, and cybersecurity integration can help healthcare organizations avoid costly breaches, minimize operational disruptions, and protect both patients and data.
As Axel Wirth, Chief Security Strategist at Medcrypt and consultant for the Healthcare Sector Coordinating Council, Cybersecurity Working Group, says, “In the end it will be a risk / benefit / cost trade-off, meaning how high is the risk to the device and larger network after device isolation (as discussed above) vs. the clinical benefit the device provides vs. the effort and investment of replacing it. The best advice would be to include cybersecurity considerations in a hospital's replacement planning strategy and to create long range visibility of the problem.”
The healthcare sector remains one of the top targets for cyberattacks. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, the average cost of a healthcare data breach reached an all-time high of $10.93 million per incident, more than twice the global average across all industries. Hospitals are particularly vulnerable because they rely on interconnected systems and devices that store and transmit sensitive patient data.
Legacy medical devices, such as infusion pumps, imaging systems, and ventilators, are often the weakest links. Many of these devices were designed long before cybersecurity became a priority. They run outdated operating systems, lack encryption, and can’t be easily patched without disrupting patient care. As a result, they create persistent vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit to access larger networks.
According to the FBI’s Cyber Division’s Private Industry Notification, “a research report conducted by a cybersecurity firm found 53% of connected medical devices and other internet of things (IoT) devices in hospitals had known critical vulnerabilities. Approximately one third of healthcare IoT devices have an identified critical risk potentially implicating technical operation and functions of medical devices.” These vulnerabilities have real-world consequences.
Long-term planning can help hospitals address this issue by shifting from reactive fighting to strategic foresight. Rather than waiting for a device to fail or a vulnerability to be exploited, healthcare organizations can anticipate risks and schedule replacements, upgrades, and security improvements before problems escalate.
Forward-thinking allows healthcare organizations to address cybersecurity risk in a structured, strategic manner, one that aligns technology modernization with clinical and operational goals.
As Axel Wirth notes, every replacement decision involves a risk-benefit-cost trade-off:
Hospitals that integrate cybersecurity into this decision-making framework can prioritize replacements more intelligently. For example, they might replace vulnerable infusion pumps before less risky equipment like temperature monitors.
Long-term planning also brings visibility to future risks. By maintaining an inventory of all connected devices, their age, software versions, and patch status, hospitals can forecast when replacements will be necessary and budget accordingly. This avoids the financial and operational shock of emergency replacements after a cyber incident.
Healthcare organizations often operate under tight budgets, and immediate clinical needs take precedence over long-term cybersecurity investments. This leads to short-term fixes—patching individual vulnerabilities, isolating devices from the network, or applying temporary workarounds.
While these measures may reduce risk temporarily, they are not sustainable. Over time, technical debt accumulates: unsupported operating systems remain online, outdated equipment continues to operate, and IT teams become overburdened by manual oversight.
For example, isolating a vulnerable MRI scanner from the main network may prevent a cyberattack in the short term. But if the scanner cannot send images directly to the hospital’s Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), workflow efficiency drops, radiologists face delays, and patient care suffers.
Ultimately, short-term fixes create an environment of fragmentation and inefficiency. They may seem cost-effective initially, but they increase operational complexity and the likelihood of a major incident later.
By phasing out legacy devices systematically, hospitals reduce entry points for attackers. Devices that cannot be patched or monitored effectively are replaced before they become liabilities.
Long-term planning allows hospitals to spread costs over several years, rather than absorbing a massive financial hit after a breach or emergency replacement. This makes cybersecurity investment more sustainable and budget-friendly.
Strategic replacements minimize disruption. With a clear roadmap, hospitals can align equipment upgrades with clinical schedules, preventing downtime and maintaining quality of care.
HIPAA and the FDA both stress risk management and device security. Long-term planning ensures compliance with these evolving standards and supports readiness for audits and investigations.
See also: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide (2025 Update)
Cybersecurity, clinical engineering, and procurement teams can work together from the outset—creating a shared understanding of device priorities, security requirements, and budget constraints.
Planning for cybersecurity within equipment replacement cycles ensures that hospitals are responding to today’s threats and preparing for tomorrow’s. It builds resilience into the organization’s DNA.
Developing a long-term cybersecurity strategy in healthcare requires a structured and proactive approach. The study Revolutionizing Healthcare IT: Addressing Legacy Systems with Enterprise Architecture, highlights several essential steps that can guide hospitals and health systems in transitioning from vulnerable legacy environments to more resilient infrastructures.
Begin with a full inventory of network-connected medical devices and information systems. Assess vulnerabilities in both hardware and software, focusing on outdated operating systems, unsupported devices, and unpatched systems. This assessment helps establish a clear baseline for prioritizing upgrades or replacements.
Read more: How to perform a risk assessment
Create a multidisciplinary cybersecurity committee that includes IT, clinical engineering, compliance, and hospital leadership. Governance structures ensure accountability, streamline communication, and align cybersecurity planning with organizational goals.
Replacing legacy systems cannot happen overnight. A phased strategy, prioritizing high-risk devices first, allows healthcare institutions to balance patient safety, budget constraints, and operational continuity. In the meantime, mitigation measures such as network segmentation, continuous monitoring, and device isolation can reduce exposure.
Even the most advanced cybersecurity tools are ineffective without a well-informed workforce. Ongoing training should help clinical and technical staff recognize potential threats, follow secure practices, and report incidents promptly.
Long-term cybersecurity resilience depends on real-time monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and regular audits. These actions help detect anomalous activities early and ensure that controls evolve with emerging threats.
A sustainable cybersecurity plan must accommodate technological advances such as AI-driven monitoring, zero-trust architectures, and secure cloud integrations. Building scalability into planning ensures that today’s investments remain relevant in the future.
Long-term cybersecurity planning is an ongoing process rather than a one-time project. By following these steps, rooted in risk assessment, governance, and continuous improvement, healthcare organizations can better safeguard patient data, protect operational integrity, and prepare for future digital transformation.
Related: Modernization of healthcare legacy systems
Long-term planning allows healthcare organizations to address vulnerabilities in legacy systems, allocate resources effectively, and align technology upgrades with patient safety goals. It ensures cybersecurity efforts are proactive rather than reactive.
Hospitals can reduce risks by isolating vulnerable devices on segmented networks, using firewalls, enforcing strict access controls, and continuously monitoring for suspicious activity.