The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced
on April 20 that it plans to launch a cybersecurity
initiative modeled on the US Department of Homeland Security's
National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center
(NCCIC) that will be aimed at educating healthcare organizations
and consumers about the risks of using mobile applications and
data. The new center, which will be called the Health
Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (HCCIC), is
intended to be a collaborative effort between public and
privacy industry. A similar cybersecurity initiative is being
developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS).
Chris Wlaschin, the chief information security officer for HHS,
says this type of collaborative center is needed because
approximately 50% of US healthcare organizations lack the adequate
tools to deter and manage cyber breaches. As mobile
health applications become more prevelant, the HHS sees the
HCCIC as an
