Enhancing cybersecurity education for the healthcare sector: Fostering interdisciplinary ManagiDiTH approach

Abstract

The health care sector faces growing and evolving cybersecurity threats and pressing need to enhance its cybersecurity education programmes. Many research study confirms the growing gap of cybersecurity and digitalisation know-how for the healthcare professionals. Robust cybersecurity education is crucial to equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to safeguard sensitive patient information and maintain the integrity of healthcare systems. This paper presents a master's programme titled “Managing Digital Transformation in the Health Sector” (ManagiDiTH) jointly implemented by universities in four different countries. The innovative master's programme includes 3 focus areas- health sector skills, societal skills and digital skills. The ManagiDiTH programme integrates cybersecurity education into a broader framework of digital transformation skills for health professionals with interconnectedness of cybersecurity and healthcare innovation. The programme emphasises practical learning through hands-on exercises and case studies, allowing students to apply cybersecurity principles to real-world healthcare scenarios. It also fosters collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and the development of a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity threats and mitigation strategies. The ManagiDiTH framework addresses the very specific cybersecurity challenges faced by the healthcare sector, including data breaches, ransomware attacks, and the increasing use of technology in patient care. It equips healthcare students including nurses with the necessary skills to identify and respond to these threats, as well as to conduct risk assessments and implement cybersecurity best practices. The paper presents the novel education programme that combines cybersecure digitalisation aspects of critical field of the health care.