Heal Safely. Operate Securely.

SECURING HEALTHCARE FACILITY OPERATIONS

We help healthcare organizations protect building automation, environmental controls, and facility operations through comprehensive OT security that ensures patient safety, operational continuity, and regulatory compliance.

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"Healthcare facilities depend on complex building automation and environmental systems where cyber incidents can disrupt critical patient care environments, compromise safety systems, and impact the infrastructure supporting life-saving medical services."

Healthcare Facility Cyber Security Challenges

Patient Safety, Environmental Control and Operational Continuity are paramount for healthcare facilities.

Healthcare facilities rely on sophisticated building automation systems managing HVAC for operating rooms and isolation rooms, medical gas systems delivering oxygen and other critical gases, nurse call and patient monitoring integration, emergency power systems ensuring uninterrupted care, and fire and life safety systems protecting patients and staff.

The healthcare sector faces unique OT security challenges: building systems directly impact patient care environments requiring precise temperature and humidity control, medical equipment networks share infrastructure with facility systems, 24/7 operations cannot tolerate downtime for security patches, aging building systems with limited security capabilities, and regulatory requirements spanning both IT (HIPAA) and facility operations.

With healthcare increasingly targeted by ransomware affecting both clinical IT systems and facility operations, plus the critical nature of environmental controls for vulnerable patient populations, hospitals and medical facilities must implement OT security programs protecting the infrastructure that enables patient care delivery.

Healthcare Facility Threat Landscape

Facility-Specific Threats

  • Ransomware affecting building management systems and disrupting environmental controls
  • HVAC system compromise affecting operating room pressurization and isolation room integrity
  • Medical gas system manipulation risking patient oxygen delivery
  • Emergency power system attacks during critical patient care situations
  • Elevator and access control system disruptions affecting patient movement and security
  • Fire and life safety system interference compromising emergency response capabilities

Operational Consequences

  • Patient safety incidents from compromised environmental or medical gas systems
  • Operating room closures due to HVAC failures affecting surgical schedules
  • Isolation room failures creating infection control risks
  • Emergency department disruptions during mass casualty or disaster response
  • Regulatory violations affecting Joint Commission accreditation and CMS certification
  • Facility evacuations from fire/life safety system failures disrupting patient care

Healthcare Facility Systems We Secure

Building Management

BMS/BAS systems controlling HVAC, lighting, energy management, and central plant operations across hospital campuses.

Medical Gas Systems

Medical air, oxygen, vacuum, and nitrous oxide delivery systems with zone valves, pressure monitoring, and alarm management.

Critical Environments

Operating room HVAC controls, isolation room pressurization, cleanroom management, and specialty lab environmental systems.

Emergency Systems

Emergency power distribution, generator controls, UPS systems, and automatic transfer switches ensuring continuous operations.

Access & Safety

Physical access control, nurse call systems, infant/patient security, elevator controls, and fire alarm/suppression systems.

Facility Support

Central utility plants, chilled water systems, steam generation, water treatment, and wastewater management supporting operations.

Healthcare Facility Security Strategy

Patient Safety-Centric Approach

For healthcare facilities, OTFIELD provides OT cybersecurity programs that prioritize patient safety while protecting building systems, environmental controls, and facility operations - recognizing that cyber incidents affecting facility infrastructure can directly impact patient care outcomes.

We understand healthcare operational realities: building systems cannot be taken offline for patching during patient care hours, environmental controls for critical areas must maintain precise parameters, emergency systems must remain functional 24/7, and facility teams typically lack dedicated OT cybersecurity expertise. Our approach delivers practical security within healthcare's unique constraints.

Healthcare Facility Implementation

Phase 1: Patient Care Impact Assessment

Objective: Identify cyber risks to patient safety and critical facility operations

  • Assess building systems supporting patient care (OR HVAC, isolation rooms, medical gas)
  • Evaluate emergency power and life safety system vulnerabilities
  • Review access control and patient security system risks
  • Identify interdependencies between building automation and medical equipment networks
  • Assess facility support systems (central plants, utilities, environmental monitoring)
  • Consider operational constraints (no downtime windows, aging equipment, vendor dependencies)

This assessment prioritizes controls protecting patient safety and care delivery capabilities.

Phase 2: Healthcare Facility Security Program

Objective: Implement controls protecting facility operations while maintaining patient care

Compliance & Best Practices:

  • Joint Commission Environment of Care standards - Building and safety systems requirements
  • NFPA codes - Life safety and fire protection system integrity
  • FGI Guidelines - Healthcare facility design and operation standards
  • IEC 62443 - Building automation system security
  • NIST Cybersecurity Framework - Risk-based security approach

Healthcare-Specific Controls:

  • Critical environment protection (OR, isolation rooms, ICU environmental controls)
  • Medical gas system security preventing unauthorized valve changes or alarms
  • Emergency power system protection ensuring generator and UPS availability
  • Network segmentation isolating BMS from clinical and business networks
  • Access control and nurse call system security
  • Fire and life safety system integrity (alarms, suppression, emergency communications)
  • Vendor and service provider access management for building contractors
  • Incident response procedures for facility system cyber events
  • Backup and recovery enabling rapid restoration without patient care disruption

Patient Care Environment Protection

Specialized security for systems directly supporting patient care:

Critical Care Environments

  • Operating room HVAC and pressurization controls
  • Isolation room environmental management
  • ICU/CCU environmental systems
  • Cleanroom and sterile processing controls
  • Specialty lab environmental protection

Life Safety Systems

  • Medical gas delivery and monitoring
  • Emergency power and generator controls
  • Fire alarm and suppression systems
  • Emergency communications infrastructure
  • Patient security and infant protection

Healthcare Facility Success Factors

Healthcare facilities must address these critical considerations:

  • Can we secure building systems without impacting patient care operations?
  • How do we protect critical environments like operating rooms and isolation rooms?
  • Are medical gas and emergency power systems protected from cyber manipulation?
  • Can we manage vendor access for building contractors without creating security gaps?
  • How do we segment BMS networks from clinical IT while maintaining integration?
  • Do we have incident response plans for building system cyber events?

Success requires protecting facility infrastructure that enables patient care while working within healthcare's operational constraints.

Standards & Compliance Landscape

  • Joint Commission Standards - Environment of Care and Life Safety requirements
  • NFPA Life Safety Code - Fire protection and life safety system requirements
  • FGI Guidelines - Facility Guidelines Institute design and construction standards
  • IEC 62443 - Building automation and control systems security
  • NIST Cybersecurity Framework - Risk-based approach for critical infrastructure

Protect Patient Safety. Secure Facility Operations.

Healthcare facilities cannot risk cyber incidents that compromise patient care environments, disrupt critical systems, or violate accreditation standards. Discover practical security solutions for healthcare facility operations.

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