Cyberattacks on Canadian health information systems

Cyberattacks can lead to privacy breaches, financial harm, and threats to patient safety. Controlling these risks involves using prevention, detection, response, and recovery strategies. As digital health systems emerge, healthcare providers and organizations should monitor for software recalls, keep systems up-to-date, and communicate risks to patients. While cybersecurity measures can disrupt workflows, they’re preferable to recovering from attacks. In 2019, 86% of Canadian family doctors reported using electronic medical records (EMRs), marking a significant digitization of health systems.