How to Meet IoMT GRC Requirements in Healthcare

The expansion of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) in the past decade has strained the capabilities of already resource-strapped healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs). Healthcare technology management (HTM) teams have to contend with problems such as finding assets within the facility, while also ensuring that they are regularly kept up to date. HTM teams also must work with security to ensure that IoMT devices remain protected and in compliance with all regulatory standards. 

That’s also the challenge of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) within the healthcare space. As IoMT devices have increased overall, with hospitals expected to deploy 7 million connected devices worldwide by 2026, understanding the necessary regulatory requirements for all these systems and managing the risks associated is imperative. 

Understanding all these standards and ensuring consistent compliance can be challenging for HTM teams, however. This is especially true for the groups that already struggle to keep up with basic technology maintenance. Developing and maintaining a GRC program in this context doesn’t have to be an insurmountable challenge; this is doubly true when organizations can enlist a trusted partner who can manage the tactical aspects of the program and enable internal teams to focus on the work they already have in front of them. 

Common GRC Challenges in Healthcare 

Effective GRC faces some headwinds in the average HDO. To start with, GRC is often viewed as punitive in healthcare, implemented following issues such as data breaches or failing a program audit. This doesn’t have to be the case, however, as developing a GRC program can surface potential vulnerabilities within the organization and ensure a more resilient security architecture. 

For HDOs who understand that they need a robust GRC program, specific regulations and best practices like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the HITRUST Common Security Framework, and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework can inform their work. Once these frameworks and rules can be implemented, then the HDO can progress to audits of their program and ultimately a more robust security posture. 

The problem is the sheer amount of manual effort that often goes into developing and managing a robust program. It’s rare for HDOs to have dedicated GRC professionals in-house who can manage policy creation, track regulatory compliance across the organization, and track risks effectively. Automating these processes often streamlines the work, but that doesn’t mean that HTMs are experienced enough in the nuances of GRC to effectively use technology solutions. 

Additionally, the GRC program has to be maintained over time. Much like cybersecurity or conducting regular maintenance, GRC programs are only effective if they’re managed and kept up to date. There are always new risks and new regulations to integrate into the program, resulting in more policies for organizations to develop and propagate through the organization. The resource-constrained HDO that might not even have a full-time GRC professional likely doesn’t have the capability to manage this or even the development of the program in the first place. 

Common GRC Requirements in Healthcare 

GRC in healthcare tends to focus on a few key requirements, designed to reduce risk and ensure that HDOs comply with all necessary rules and regulations. This includes rules around patient data security and data breach notification guidelines as required by law. 

Specific requirements for GRC programs include:

• Governance policy development, active monitoring, and action plans – Governance requirements include the development of detailed policies that align with the organization’s goals and healthcare regulations, particularly regarding patient data handling and security. They also feature active monitoring to regularly review and update policies for continued compliance, as well as developing corrective action plans to quickly address breaches or noncompliance and minimize the loss of patient data. 
• Risk assessment and mitigation – GRC programs need to identify and assess potential risks such as breaches, vulnerabilities, and regulatory violations, as well as implement strategies to reduce or eliminate these same risks. This can include strengthening data security measures or improving internal controls. 
• Adhering to healthcare regulations for compliance as well as enhanced data and patient security – HDOs have specific regulations they must comply with as healthcare organizations, including HIPAA, state privacy laws, and other statutory requirements. They also should be implementing robust data protection measures to protect patient data, including real-time monitoring, encryption, and access controls. 

Strong GRC programs can enhance operations for HDOs and increase their organizational resilience overall, especially because of the proactive nature of discovering potential issues and resolving them.  

How Asimily’s Risk Reduction Services Support GRC Programs 

Asimily, the Internet of Medical Things security leader, now offers cybersecurity services designed to augment the capabilities of HDO security teams. The ability to focus on the nuances of policy creation, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance often escapes internal HTM teams. Not from a lack of skill, but rather because their job of ensuring that medical devices work properly consumes their time. 

That’s why Asimily now offers cybersecurity services. They are designed to augment HDO development of a GRC program. The service is architected around risk reduction and governance management, with experienced cybersecurity professionals assisting teams with: 

• Vulnerability Identification & Exploit Analysis + Impact Analysis
• Remediation Prioritization to Evaluate Device Exposures
• Orchestrating Risk Control Measure Implementation
• Evaluating clinical impacts of strategic decisions, as well as biomed implementation training
• Anomaly Identification, Prioritization & Mitigation Planning
• Anomaly Policy Creation and Review
• Audit & Developing a Strategic and Operational Roadmap
• Governance of IoMT Risk Controls with OEMs and Device Manufacturers
• Development of information system policies and procedures
• HTM/Biomed Policies & Procedures
• Development IoMT Risk Management Playbook 
• Annual Tabletop Exercises, Stress Testing, VM, and Anomalies

The Asimily team leverages NIST CSF 2.0 to develop governance policies and playbooks and help HDOs meet the requirements of effective GRC. This empowers HTM teams to do what they do best in terms of managing technology, and outsource the functionality that they may not have in-house to experienced professionals. 

By doing this, HDOs gain a well-built GRC program and a team dedicated to managing and keeping the program and associated policies up to date. With Asimily, organizations can rest easy that they have an effective program and are audit-ready. 

To find out more about Asimily, get in touch today.