The report analyzed 956 healthcare data breaches reported to HHS, the media and other sources during 2022 and identified seven trends of how breaches are impacting the healthcare industry:
- Ransomware gangs have “redoubled” their efforts in targeting the healthcare sector.
- The largest healthcare data breach reported in 2022 occurred at mailing and printing vendor Business Associate, in which 34 healthcare insurance carriers and healthcare services providers were affected.
- Insider breaches were responsible for 12 percent of healthcare data breaches reported in 2022. Although patient records compromised by insider wrongdoing fell 30 percent in 2022.
- Hacking incidents rose for a seventh year in a row, with 712 incidents occurring throughout 2022.
- U.S. healthcare organizations suffered an average of 1,410 weekly cyberattacks per organization.
- Educating employees about improperly accessing patient data is 95 percent effective in preventing misuse issues.
- Artificial intelligence and automation programs saved healthcare organizations more than $3 million as these tools can help identify and contain a breach nearly a month faster than those that don’t have these tools.