BI&T May/June 2020
COVID-19 has placed a new level of strain on hospital systems, supply chains, and the capabilities of health technology. As described in this issue's roundtable discussion (p. 202), health technology professionals responding to COVID-19 are challenged by the need to process an influx of new devices—some built by nontraditional manufacturers, which can come with their own challenges—and maintaining the IT infrastructure needed for a new era of telework and telemedicine, among other issues.
The COVID-19 crisis has also led to an acceleration of telemedicine initiatives, along with the growing pains and considerations that come with that transition. Sterilizing and disinfecting medical equipment, always an essential function that to many can fly under the radar, has taken on a new level of national significance.
However, many of the fundamentals have not changed. Cyberthreats, for example, remain a persistent menace to health technology, as detailed in our cover story (p. 169). Ensuring cybersecurity best practices is as important as ever in a COVID-affected world, where technology is growing even more connected and remote. As cybersecurity expert Axel Wirth succinctly points out (p. 216), “Our crisis is the attackers' opportunity.”
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