Demo Request
X Close Search

How can we assist?

The Supplier Demand for Cybersecurity

The Supplier Demand for Cybersecurity

Post Summary

Listen to this article: 
Custom Audio Player
0:00
Why is cybersecurity critical for the healthcare supply chain?

Healthcare supply chains are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, exposing vulnerabilities that can disrupt patient care, data security, and operational continuity.

What is Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain?

Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain is the first healthcare-specific third-party risk management platform designed to assess and mitigate risks for both technical and non-technical suppliers.

How does Censinet RiskOps improve supply chain cybersecurity?

It provides tools to: • Assess supplier risks quickly. • Automate corrective action plans. • Generate actionable insights to improve real-time decision-making.

What challenges do healthcare supply chains face post-COVID-19?

Challenges include: • Fragile supply chains vulnerable to cyberattacks. • Increased reliance on third-party vendors. • The need for continuous monitoring and proactive risk management.

How can healthcare organizations learn more about supply chain risk management?

Join Censinet’s live webinar featuring industry veterans Eric Yablonka and Karl West, or visit Censinet.com website for more information.

In the evolving cybersecurity industry, one of the biggest takeaways from the COVID-19 pandemic is how fragile supply chains are in healthcare. Over the last two years, healthcare leaders have struggled with the challenges of preparedness, resiliency, continuity, and a secure supply chain. Healthcare supply chains have become easy targets for cyber attacks despite the crisis, chaos, and shortages of supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and employees.

Healthcare requires a unified organizational view of third-party and supplier risk and vulnerabilities across the enterprise more than any other industry. Business continuity and resiliency plans must be developed across all third-party technology vendors and non-technical suppliers from the start. The “set it and forget” approach to risk management is no longer acceptable. Continuous and proactive monitoring of these risks across the supplier lifecycle and relationships is crucial for protecting patient safety, data, and care delivery.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) recently published a Supply Chain Risk Insights Report addressing the importance of delivering supply chain resilience and recommendations for 2022. The Supply Chain Risk Insights Report offers insight and resources about the supplier demand for cybersecurity. This report also stresses the importance of understanding suppliers, ensuring sustainability, adapting to multiple challenges, and unlocking potential opportunities. The report states: “As we head towards 2022, it’s clear that we won’t be turning the page on COVID-19 anytime soon, so when it comes to working with business partners and suppliers, we’re going to need to be patient, flexible, and creative in ways the world could never have imagined back in 2019.”

David Fairnie, Principal Consultant, Supply Chain Security at BSI, states that within the last 18 months, organizations have had to make significant changes to their resilience plans. Many are still in crisis management due to the impact of the pandemic. Farnie summarizes the situation: “I’m seeing a significant number of false suppliers acting as genuine potential suppliers in supply chain logistics provision –warehousing distribution, distribution centres, transportation companies – and actually, they are criminal groups trying to infiltrate the logistics supply chain.” Clearly the process and procedure in healthcare risk management need to be addressed, and the relationships with suppliers needs to be nurtured. More than ever, it is critical to “conduct proper due diligence” when onboarding suppliers, including assessing all risks, especially fraud.

Censinet has been working hard to create a better solution in risk management to help identify, reduce, and monitor the likelihood and business impact of cybersecurity breaches and ransomware attacks. Earlier this month, we announced a new offering, Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain, a significant extension to our core platform to help protect the healthcare supply chain. Censinet RiskOps is the first and only third-party risk management platform built by and for healthcare organizations to manage the threats to patient care that exist within an expanding ecosystem of more than 26,000 assessed vendors and products. Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain can now quickly assess non-technical suppliers' risks, generate reports based on data and access insights, improve vendor-engagement workflow, and proactively reduce risks through automated corrective action plans. ​This capability enables the healthcare supply chain team to move significantly faster through the procurement process while managing technical and non-technical supplier risks. Censinet RiskOps helps provide actionable risk insight to improve decisions made in real-time by both suppliers and healthcare providers and ultimately improve patient care quality.

I am pleased to announce that Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain is available now. For more information on how healthcare organizations can reduce and avoid the impact of supply chain risks, please click here. How has your healthcare organization been managing supply chain risk through the pandemic? Send me your stories and thoughts here.

We'll also be hosting a live webinar on supply chain risk featuring two prominent healthcare information veterans: Eric Yablonka, former CIO and Associate Dean at Stanford Health Care and School of Medicine, and Karl West, past CISO Intermountain Healthcare. Email us for more information.

Ed Gaudet
CEO and Founder, Censinet

Key Points:

Why is cybersecurity critical for the healthcare supply chain?

  • The healthcare supply chain has become a prime target for cyberattacks due to its reliance on third-party vendors and its critical role in patient care.
  • Post-COVID-19 challenges revealed vulnerabilities in supply chains, making cybersecurity essential to:
    • Protect patient safety and care delivery.
    • Safeguard sensitive data from breaches and ransomware attacks.
    • Ensure continuity and resiliency in healthcare operations.

What is Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain?

  • Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain is the first and only third-party risk management platform built specifically for healthcare organizations.
  • It enables healthcare providers to identify, mitigate, and monitor risks posed by both technical and non-technical suppliers.
  • With an ecosystem of more than 26,000 assessed vendors and products, Censinet RiskOps is designed to protect the healthcare supply chain and improve patient care.

What challenges does the healthcare supply chain face in cybersecurity?

Healthcare supply chains face several critical challenges:

  • Vulnerability to cyberattacks: Cybercriminals exploit supply chain weaknesses to infiltrate healthcare systems.
  • Increased third-party dependencies: Reliance on vendors for both clinical and business operations expands the attack surface.
  • Lack of continuous monitoring: Many organizations rely on outdated, "set it and forget it" risk management approaches.
  • Fraudulent suppliers: Criminal groups disguise themselves as legitimate vendors, infiltrating logistics and distribution networks.

How does Censinet RiskOps for Supply Chain improve supply chain cybersecurity?

Censinet RiskOps provides several key capabilities:

  • Rapid Risk Assessments: Quickly identify risks associated with technical and non-technical suppliers.
  • Automated Corrective Action Plans: Proactively reduce risks through automated workflows.
    Actionable Insights: Generate reports and insights to improve real-time decision-making for both suppliers and healthcare providers.
  • Enhanced Vendor Engagement: Streamline workflows to improve collaboration and reduce procurement delays.

What are the long-term strategies for managing healthcare supply chain risks?

To build a resilient supply chain, healthcare organizations should:

  1. Conduct Continuous Monitoring: Regularly assess supplier risks throughout the lifecycle of vendor relationships.
  2. Develop Business Continuity Plans: Address vulnerabilities in both technical and non-technical suppliers to reduce disruptions.
  3. Perform Due Diligence: Evaluate suppliers for fraud, cybersecurity preparedness, and compliance with industry standards.
  4. Leverage the Right Tools: Use platforms like Censinet RiskOps to improve visibility, automate risk management, and respond to threats proactively.

How does Censinet RiskOps support healthcare organizations during procurement processes?

Censinet RiskOps enables healthcare supply chain teams to:

  • Move Faster: Accelerate procurement by identifying and managing supplier risks efficiently.
  • Ensure Compliance: Verify that vendors meet cybersecurity standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Safeguard Patient Care: Reduce risks that could disrupt clinical workflows or compromise patient safety.

What resources are available for healthcare organizations to learn about supply chain risk management?

Healthcare organizations can:

  • Attend Censinet’s live webinar featuring industry leaders like:
    • Eric Yablonka: Former CIO and Associate Dean at Stanford Health Care and School of Medicine.
    • Karl West: Former CISO at Intermountain Healthcare.
  • Visit the Censinet website for more information on supply chain risk management.

How does Censinet RiskOps support cybersecurity best practices?

Censinet RiskOps aligns with key cybersecurity best practices by:

  • Providing Continuous Risk Monitoring: Ensures risks are assessed and mitigated throughout the supplier lifecycle.
  • Improving Decision-Making: Offers real-time insights to prioritize actions and reduce vulnerabilities.
  • Expanding Risk Visibility: Tracks over 26,000 vendors and products to provide healthcare organizations with unmatched security coverage.

Slide 1

This is some text inside of a div block.
Text Link
Censinet Risk Assessment Request Graphic

Censinet RiskOps™ Demo Request

Do you want to revolutionize the way your healthcare organization manages third-party and enterprise risk while also saving time, money, and increasing data security? It’s time for RiskOps.

Schedule Demo

Sign-up for the Censinet Newsletter!

Hear from the Censinet team on industry news, events, content, and 
engage with our thought leaders every month.

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Security Statement | Crafted on the Narrow Land