WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) advanced his Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act through a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee markup. Cosponsored by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), the legislation directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the growing need for skilled cybersecurity professionals in rural hospitals.
Unlike larger urban hospitals, rural hospitals often have little to no full-time cybersecurity personnel and are particular targets for cyberattacks. Vulnerabilities in rural hospitals’ cybersecurity defenses can also be used as entry points to disrupt larger healthcare systems, potentially compromising the sensitive medical and personal data of hundreds of thousands of American patients at once.
The Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act would require HHS to:
- Develop a comprehensive rural hospital cybersecurity workforce development strategy that, at a minimum, considers public-private partnerships, development of curricula and training resources, and policy recommendations.
- Make available instructional materials for rural hospitals to train staff on fundamental cybersecurity measures.
- Report annually to congressional committees with updates regarding the strategy and any programs that have been implemented pursuant to the strategy.
Read the bill text here.