Building Trust Among Healthcare Cybersecurity Leaders Through Peer Forums
The article reflects on six years of monthly gatherings for cybersecurity leaders in healthcare. It argues that candid peer discussion is difficult because security executives face pressure over patient safety, continuity, and sensitive data. The author describes starting with a very small call and building a recurring forum without vendor pitches or sales presentations.
The forum began six years ago as a monthly virtual call for healthcare cybersecurity leaders. Its earliest session involved the author, Fortified Health Security’s chief operating officer, and one provider CIO discussing how remote work had affected security environments during COVID.
Attendance later grew to roughly 60–90 leaders per session. Organizers avoid sales presentations and use the Chatham House Rule so participants can share lessons without attribution; one CISO described rotating an external email warning’s color, size, and placement monthly, which coincided with fewer risky clicks.
This peer-forum model may affect patients, clinicians, and health-system staff by helping security leaders share low-cost practices that could reduce disruption from cyber incidents. It may also influence how hospitals balance transparency with legal and reputational concerns, potentially improving sector-wide learning while leaving individual organizations responsible for adapting ideas to their own risk and compliance contexts.