With the ever-increasing medical technology innovations that are coming to life, it’s no surprise human-centered industries such as healthcare are also opting for IT solutions to simplify their administrative processes. The proliferation of medical devices, healthcare analytics, and the growing efforts by payers to provide total care management, the opportunities also create significant IT risk for cyberattacks and putting patient information at risk.According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as of January 2019, there have been over 200 hacking and IT-related incidents that resulted in over 500 reportable cases just in the healthcare industry, with some of those incidents impacting up to seven million users. The leaking of patient’s data such as credit card information, social security numbers, or medical reports can also represent serious legal issues for organizations and million-dollar bills in damage control.Every October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is held in an effort to counteract the effects that the lack of education and training in cybersecurity can have on businesses and people.Awareness of cybersecurity is only the beginning, as the next steps involve taking a proactive approach by putting policies and procedures in place to avoid trouble down the road.It’s just a matter of seconds for a cyber-threat to recognize that your data has sprung a leak, and they’re ready to catch every drop until the leak is patched.  That is why it’s more important than ever that healthcare organizations have clear policies and procedures in place, and periodically assess their risks associated with cybersecurity.Maintaining a healthy culture around cybersecurity is key to keeping sensitive data out of the hands of bad actors.  Here are just a few things your organization can do to stay secure: