Medical cyber-security firm MedSec has launched a communication platform to connect medical device manufacturers and healthcare delivery organisations for more effective sharing of critical device security information.

Called Bridge, the platform was on show at last week’s HIMSS Global Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas, where MedSec demonstrated how Bridge addresses one of the most persistent challenges in healthcare cyber security: ensuring hospitals receive timely, relevant security information about the medical devices in their environment.

Today, hospitals must navigate dozens, and often hundreds, of vendor-specific portals and web sites to find cyber-security advisories, end-of-support notifications and device documentation. This fragmented approach makes it difficult for healthcare organisations to manage security risks across their medical device fleets.

At the same time, medical device manufacturers have a regulatory obligation to provide this information and ensure it is readily available, consistently delivered and accessible to customers. This has been a problem for both sides of the industry.

Bridge solves this by creating a simple, centralised communication platform that connects manufacturers directly with the healthcare organisations using their devices. Through Bridge, medical device manufacturers can directly share vulnerability advisories, end-of-support notifications, MDS2 forms and other security updates directly with their customers.

Hospitals can self-identify the devices in their fleet, resulting in a personalised dashboard that delivers only the security information relevant to their environment. Both sides benefit from targeted communication, ensuring information reaches the right stakeholders quickly and efficiently.

The platform’s guided-exchange model ensures security information is delivered to the right customers at the right time, helping healthcare organisations respond faster to cyber-security risks and maintain safer clinical environments.

Bridge also helps manufacturers improve visibility into their installed base. When hospitals identify devices in their fleet, manufacturers may discover customers they were previously unaware of, creating a more complete understanding of product deployment and communication needs, a benefit that expands beyond just security management.

MedSec first introduced the Bridge concept during a prototype demonstration at the AAMI Exchange conference last year, where the company met with more than 40 healthcare systems and received industry support.

“Cyber-security communication between manufacturers and healthcare providers has historically been fragmented and inefficient,” said Michelle Jump, CEO at MedSec. “With Bridge, we’re creating a trusted, centralised platform that simplifies how critical security information is delivered, helping the entire healthcare ecosystem respond faster and manage risk more effectively.”

By enabling manufacturers and healthcare delivery organisations to connect through a single platform, MedSec aims to improve the speed, accuracy and reach of medical device cyber-security communication across the industry.

Florida-based MedSec (www.medsec.com) is a cyber-security firm focused on medical devices and healthcare technology. The company works with manufacturers, healthcare delivery organisations and regulators to improve the safety and security of connected medical technologies through cyber-security testing, regulatory guidance, threat modelling, security risk management and industry collaboration.