From Perimeter to the Cloud: Why Smart Health CIO's Are Adopting SASE

In this ThoughtCast we explore why SASE is fast becoming the new 'invisible layer of the mordern hospital', and how Health CIO's can leverage, by incorporating it in to their Cyber defence strategies to secure their hospital's networks for a cloud native future.

In today's Technology Review, and in light of the recent ransomware attack, which impacted several NHS Trusts. This time Synnovis, a pathology third-party solution provider, we turn our thoughts once again to the issue of Cyber Security.

Paradigm recommend Health CIO's/ CDO's consider adding SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) technology to their cyber defence strategies.

SASE is an 'architectural' approach that combines networking and security functions into a unified cloud-based service, to provide secure access to staff to their corporate resources, such as sites, applications, and API's and data for users, irrespective of their location or the devices they use.

However, SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is often called an “invisible layer” because it delivers security and network services in a way that’s seamlessly embedded into the digital fabric of a hospital’s IT environment — without being tied to any single device, application, or physical boundary.

In traditional hospital IT, security was visible — firewalls, VPNs, gateways, and on-premise perimeter devices clearly defined the “edges” of the network. But as healthcare shifts to cloud, remote work, IoMT, and hybrid ecosystems, that clear perimeter disappears. SASE enables this to be replaced with a unified, cloud-native, identity-based layer of security that travels with every user, device, and application — wherever care happens, or from wherever people happen to be working, and accessing Trust systems.

In a nutshell, SASE is “invisible” because it’s not a single product — it’s a pervasive, cloud-native security fabric that silently wraps around the entire hospital digital ecosystem, ensuring secure access everywhere, without disrupting clinical flow.

Unveiling the Benefits:

How SASE Can Strengthen the Hospital's Cyber Defenses

In terms of some of the advantages that SASE can deliver to the Hospitals technical/ (IT) enterprise:

1. Security: SASE consolidates the hospitals security approach, by integrating various security features like firewall, secure web gateway, intrusion prevention, data loss prevention, and more. This approach helps protect hospital networks, data, and sensitive patient information from cyber threats and unauthorized access.

2. Scalability: SASE's cloud-based architecture allows for seamless scalability, ensuring that the network can handle increased demand and accommodate additional devices and users without compromising performance. This is particularly invaluable for hospitals which often have complex networks and cater to a large number of users, including staff, patients, and visitors.

3. Flexibility and Mobility: With the increase in remote staff working, (especially since the pandemic), as well as the rise in use of telemedical technologies, and and the need for healthcare professionals to access patient records and applications from different locations, SASE can enhance flexibility of healthcare workers by providing them with secure access to hospital resources, in the field, regardless of their location. This flexibility enhances the mobility of healthcare workers and also aids the improvement of patient care.

4. Reduced Complexity: Traditional network and security infrastructures in hospitals can be complex to manage and maintain. SASE streamlines and simplifies these processes by centralizing network and security policies, making it easier for IT teams to manage and secure the hospital's digital environment.

5. Performance Optimization: SASE technologies often include WAN optimization capabilities. This ensures that applications and data accessed by hospital staff and patients are delivered efficiently, reducing latency and improving overall network performance.

The Advantages of Integrating SASE into the Hospital's Cyber Security Strategy

Furthermore, integrating SASE into a unified cyber security platform, can deliver several operational advantages for hospitals and other organizations. Here are just some of the key advantages of adding SASE technology to a hospital's cyber security strategy.

1. Enhanced Security: SASE consolidates multiple security functions, such as firewalling, intrusion prevention, data loss prevention, secure web gateways, and more, into a single, cloud-based service. This consolidation and centralization of security controls provide better visibility and control over network traffic, reducing potential attack vectors and improving overall security posture.

2. Simplified Management: SASE provides a unified security and networking solution, making it easier for hospital IT teams to manage and maintain their infrastructure. The centralized management and policy enforcement streamline the deployment of security measures, reducing the complexity of managing multiple security solutions.

3. Scalability and Flexibility: With SASE's cloud-based architecture, hospitals can easily scale their security and networking capabilities to accommodate their evolving needs. Whether it's expanding to multiple locations or supporting a growing number of remote workers, it can adapt to changing requirements without the need for significant hardware investments.

4. Improved Performance: SASE technology often includes SD-WAN capabilities, which can optimize network performance by dynamically routing traffic across the most efficient paths. This results in improved application performance and reduced latency, critical for healthcare institutions that rely on timely access to patient data and applications.

5. Zero Trust Security Model: SASE aligns with the Zero Trust security model, treating all users and devices as potential threats until their identities and devices are properly verified. This approach ensures that only authorized users with secure devices can access critical hospital resources, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

6. Compliance and Data Protection: Hospitals deal with sensitive patient information that must be protected according to strict regulatory requirements. SASE helps in maintaining compliance by enforcing consistent security policies and ensuring secure data transmission.

To Ensure Smooth Adoption of SASE Technology in Hospitals: Key Recommendations and Proven Methods

Some suggestions for the Health CIO, as to the best way to deploy SASE technology within their hospitals, include:

1. Assessment and Planning: Start by conducting a thorough assessment of the hospital's existing network infrastructure, security needs, and remote access requirements. Identify the specific use cases and applications that SASE will address.

2. Vendor Selection: Choose a reputable SASE provider that aligns with the hospital's security and networking needs. Don't forget to consider factors like data centre locations, service availability, performance, and customer support, in informing your choice of vendor.

3. Pilot Deployment: Before fully implementing SASE across the hospital, consider a pilot deployment in a controlled environment. This allows IT teams to assess the solution's effectiveness and identify any potential issues or challenges to implementing.

4. Integration and Training: Integrate the SASE solution with existing security infrastructure and provide training to IT staff and end-users. This ensures everyone understands how to use the new technology securely and efficiently.

5. Gradual Rollout: The best approach is to deploy SASE gradually, starting with critical departments or locations, and gradually expanding to other areas. This approach allows for better monitoring and fine-tuning as the deployment progresses.

6. Continuous Monitoring and Updates: Cybersecurity threats and technology are continually evolving, you'll need to regularly monitor the SASE solution for any potential vulnerabilities and ensure that it receives timely updates and patches.

7. Employee Awareness: Don't forget to continue to educate hospital staff about the importance of security best practices, and bring them along with you, keeping them in the loop by informing them of how SASE will enhance their work environment's safety. This is also a good way for the Hospital's IT Department to communicate value. Its also a good idea to co-ordinate the odd Cyber Security activity or Awareness Day, or session for them occasionally as well, or perhaps build in to the hospitals Town Hall, or All Hands meeting, at least once a year, in order to continue to remind them of the importance of their individual roles in maintaining the overall security of the hospital's systems and data. To make cyber security more meaningful and relevant to them, you can also broaden these exercises slightly, to illustrate to them the importance of good cyber-hygiene in their own personal online lives, (eg: the things they do online outside of work). This is perhaps the best way of inculcating compliance of staff with good to best practice with cyber security practices and behaviours
   

By following these steps and considering the specific needs, or use cases of your individual hospital, the deployment of SASE technology should significantly bolster your cybersecurity measures and support the hospital's mission to deliver quality patient care in a secure environment.

[This ThoughtCast is not a paid advertisement for SASE Technology]

#DigitalParadigm #PI #WeGetHealthIT

---

To Submit a Request for Proposal for Services, (RFP):

Should you have any requirement for a Healthcare-IT specialist services to discuss, or review your Hospitals Cyber Security measures, then pls contact us, by either submitting a RFP, via the below link, or booking in a time directly to speak with one of our Cyber Security specialists

Register to Become a Client

or

Cyber Security Preliminary Review

60

Book Now

Why Not Purchase Items from Paradigm's Store:

adidas Premium Polo Shirt with Paradigm Logo

Buy Now