Healthcare CEOs becoming more wary of cybersecurity challenges

Most, however, are not taking proactive measures against cyber threats.

More healthcare CEOs have now begun taking action against cyber security issues, results of PwC's 20th Annual Global CEO Survey show.

Sixty-three percent of top executives in the healthcare industry are now tackling breaches in data security and ethics, higher than the global average of 43 percent. Only 48 percent, however, are taking proactive efforts to address them—despite 61 percent putting cybersecurity as a key risk to stakeholder trust and 75 percent saying they’re concerned about cyber threats.

Overall, 91 percent of CEOs believe breaches of data privacy and ethics will impact on stakeholder trust in the next five years, 67 percent say artificial intelligence and automation will further affect trust levels in the future.

“The healthcare industry is still at odds on how to harness its capabilities and mitigate the issues that could arise,” said Patrick Figgis, PwC’s Global Health Services Leader, who highlighted that most healthcare CEOs belive it’s harder for businesses to gain and keep trust in the digital world as data security and ethics have become key risks to stakeholders’ trust.

The study, which coveres 56 healthcare leaders across the 27 countries, also show that healthcare CEOs are just as optimistic about how technology can positively impact their businesses, particularly with talent building. Fifty-nine percent now explore the benefits of humans and machines working together, and 82 percent plan to further use digital technology in training.